Ocean World Aquarium, Crescent City

This post is a departure from my usual bathroom blog reviews as it is not about a restaurant bathroom.  This summer I took a weekend trip to Crescent City, California.  While there we toured the Ocean World Aquarium, which is one of the funnest aquariums I've been to.  They also happen to have a very cute ladies' restroom.     

The walls were all detailed with paintings of sea life.  And the mirrors on the wall opposite the basins are round like the portholes of a ship. 

There was obviously alot of thought put in to this bathroom and it was worth it.  It was almost a tour in itself.  So much to look at! 

This restroom had 2 stalls which were clean and well stocked.  The restroom was sunny & bright which contributed to the fun atmosphere of the aquarium.

Seeing how cute the womens' restroom was made me curious about the mens' so I took a little peak and saw that it was equally decorated...

This photo of the porthole windows was taken from the doorway of the mens' room.  I give the Ocean World restroom 3 full rolls.  Great interior design, very clean and well stocked, plenty of accomodating features.  A trip to Crescent City won't be complete without a tour of this aquarium!

Mustard Seed, Jacksonville, Oregon

I write this bathroom blog post with very mixed emotions.  Who gets emotional over  public restrooms, you ask?  Well, me, duh.  Why?  That would be a question for my therapist, if I had one.  But I know I'm not the only one who cares about a positive public restroom experience.  I mean, if I had a nickel for everytime I've heard someone (99% female) bitch about a nasty restroom, I'd be rolling in...a LOT of nickels.   Bathrooms are used regularly by all of us.  Why wouldn't we care about the cleanliness, comfort and pleasing atmosphere they have to offer?  And I've found that we have certain expectations in regards to public restrooms.  For instance, if you are at a gas station your expectations are much lower than if you were at a fine dining establishment.  It's always nice when a bathroom exceeds our expectaions but boy are we pissed when they fail.  Unfortunately, the Mustard Seed restroom is a big, fat FAIL.  Let me start from the beginning...I absolutely loved this restaurant!  It opens at the crack of dawn, serves breakfast and lunch, then closes around 2 pm.  It has a small dining area indoors and a lovely outdoor patio dining area.  We dined on the outdoor patio this summer and shared (gorged on) several dishes from the menu.  I highly recommend the chocolate chip, coconut, pecan pancakes...to...die...for.  And 100% worth the calories.  Everything was wonderful about this restaurant from the menu selections to the prices to the service to the comfortable, fun atmosphere.  Then there was the bathroom...

I mean, look at that floor.   Can you say ewww?  Can't wait to track that crap all over my carpet when I get home.  And wth is that contraption between the commode and basin?  Another dirty surface and eyesore, that's what I call it.  It's so dirty you can't even use it to set your handbag or any other personal items on.  Glad to see the toilet brush, I guess.  Whether it gets much use is debatable.

The lovely, stained basin which looks like it is barely hanging on to the wall is the least of this bathrooms problems.  Uh, did I mention the floor yet?

Is it that hard to wipe down the wall outlets and light switches?  So NOT looking forward to touching that door knob.  Guess that is why God invented papertowels and Lysol.  And what do they mop that floor with?  Used motor oil?

Please note the ceiling light.  The regular light bulb is apparently burned out but the heat lamp is working and seems to be the only source of heat in this restroom. 

 Well, at least there is a decent mirror.  And just when you think you are alone...you find a little 8 legged friend behind the toilet.  Uh, I don't think that is what "creature comforts" means.  Special.

My last 2 photos show the trash can, papertowel dispenser and the lovely view from the window.  No smoking, please, we don't want to greasy floor to catch fire.  I think those cleaning supplies are plotting a way to break in to that bathroom and do their job. 

Harsh critique, you say?  I know, but it is with love that I tell the harsh truth, as I see it.  Tough love.  The Mustard Seed could do so much better with very little effort.  Paint the walls, scrub the floor and change a light bulb for simple starters.  That would at least make the room tolerable.  This restaurant is very special but they discredit themselves and disrespect their employees and customers by letting their bathroom continue in this condition.  I will give this restroom 1/4 roll for having the supplies stocked.  That is me being generous.  Get with the program Mustard Seed!  I have faith in you.   Clean up your act...I will be back....

January 2011 Jacksonville Inn, Jacksonville, Oregon

The Jacksonville Inn is a favorite among locals and out of towners in the Rogue Valley.  Located in the quaint little historic gold rush town of Jacksonville, this restaurant offers wonderful menu items and a full bar.  It's rumored that several famous figures such as a few presidents and entertainers have dined at the J'ville Inn when passing through Southern Oregon.  It was only inevitable that our dinner club dined there at some point.  Dinner and drinks were delicious and the service was excellent.  The restroom was quite cute and had some nice little touches.

The corner basin had a great mirror above it with plenty of angles to check your look.  The mauve tiled counter top matched the strpied and floral wall paper and the painted basin was a lovely detail.  Fresh carnations on the counter were also a nice addition. 

The traditional decor made sense in this historic building and contributed nicely to the atmosphere.  It was a very clean bathroom with some nice amenities: tissue dispenser near counter, hooks on the bathroom stall doors for coats, purses, etc. 

This restroom had 2 stalls.  A bit of a line formed but it doesn't seem to matter how many stalls a ladies' bathroom has, there will always be a line at one point or another! 

So, in conclusion, I will give this bathroom 2 1/2 rolls.  It was very clean and well stocked, it had a few nice features for comfort but I only gave it a 1/2 roll for aesthetics simply because in a fine dining restautant like the Jacksonville Inn, I expect a bit more.  It was slightly lackluster I guess, but still a very nice public restroom.  Thanks for reading!

Arbor House International Restaurant Talent, Oregon

This month my dinner club met at Arbor House International Restaurant in Talent, Oregon.  I have heard such great things about this restaurant over the last couple years that I've really developed an interest in trying it.  It definitely lived up to it's reputation.  The restaurant is quiet and clean.  the servers are knowledgable and amiable.  The food is TO-DIE-FOR.  And the staff works to prepare the food to the individual's taste.  Remarkable. 

About the restroom...my first impression wasn't the greatest.  When I walked in, the first thing I noticed where the 3 highchairs crowding the room.  As a self-acclaimed bathroom expert, I just don't think the restroom is the best place for highchairs.  But I must have been on some kind of high from the great food because after my initial response I kind of got over it.  I chalked it up to being a part of Arbor House personality....laid back.  The bathroom was immaculately clean and so were the highchairs.  The room was stylish in a cute, funky, 1970's hippie-ish way. 

There was nice, large mirror in the fairly large one seater facility.  There was also a chair crowded in with the highchairs.  Good for a place to store your purse or coat.

I thought the corkboard made from wine bottle corks was so cute.  The ceramics lining the bathroom window are a nice touch, too. 

 

The framed art work on the walls was of local events and things that the Valley is well-known for like A Taste of Ashland and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.  The bathroom was well stocked with needed supplies & had amenities such as air freshener & hand lotion.  There are nice little touches like the decorative tile above the basin.  I am going to award this restroom 2 and three-quarters rolls. It hit the mark in all areas but must have a quarter roll deduction for the highchairs.  Not bad, at all.  I highly recommend this restaurant!

Paschal Winery & Vineyard, Talent, Oregon

Paschal Winery is a hidden treasure located in the country side of Talent, Oregon.  It is a very beautiful area of which I would like to spend more time in.  Pashcal has a lovely deck overlooking the vineyards and a pond.  We were lucky enough to get to see a big, beautiful swan gliding on the pond water while we sat and sipped our glasses of wine.  Paschal is a gorgeous setting for weddings and other events.  They offer fruit and veggie trays to accompany the wines.  Can't wait to go back.  I hadn't intended to do a bathroom blog on Pashal's but decided it was definitely blog worthy.  The ladies' restroom is

a one seater, as I like to call them. 

The mirror over the basin is very large and is encased in a carved and painted wood frame.  Very pretty.  The bathroom was well stocked with soap and papertowels and very clean.  The lighting was very nice & also flattering.  We all know how depressing poor lighting can be in a restroom!

 

The only thing missing were the toilet seat covers which are an essential part of a clean restroom experience.  The container was completely empty which leads me to believe that Pachal's just doesn't supply them anymore.  Guess if you want something between you and the cheeks of the last bathroom visitor youget to tear off some tissue squares!

 

The accents and wall hangings were pretty and kind of went with the wine country theme.

 

I give this restroom 2 out of 3 rolls.  It lost a half a roll for not having toitoi seat covers and half a roll for not giving the restroom quite as much attention regarding the decor and style as it did the rest of the tasting room/winery area.

Frau Kemmling's Schoolhaus Brewhaus

Frau Kemmling's is the old Jacksonville Elementary School (built in 1908) that's recently been converted into a restaurant.  The building renovations are well done & the restaurant atmosphere is comfortable and welcoming.  The staff was friendly and accommodating.  They messed up our reservation but worked us into our own private room which worked out nicely.  Our server had a great sense of humor and was very knowledgeable.  We even put her to the test on pronouncing some of the menu items in German.  Of course none of us speaks German so we wouldn't know the difference if she was BS'ing us or not but she was very convincing!  The servers wore traditional German garb...we especially appreciated the male staff in their cute little lederhosen.  The bathroom was one of my all time favorites.  The color scheme is bright and cheery.  It is very clean, in fact one of our dinner companions mentioned that it had obviously been tidied up and had paper products replaced while we were there.  Frau's "badezimmer" had a very cool feature...the built-in cushioned seat.  Very nice touch.  There was a speaker in the ceiling piping in German music, also.   

Flavor Flav kickin' it on the couch.

The baby changing table and extra paper supplies are nicely hidden inside cupboards in one of the bathroom stalls.  They made sure to install hooks in each stall for coats, purses, etc.  Loved the nice little added touches like the wrought iron legs on the basin, cool hardware on the bathroom stalls, etc.  This bathroom must have been designed by a woman!  Frau's seems to get it--a bathroom can make or break your experience at a restaurant and should not be treated as an after thought but as an important aspect of good customer service! 

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Flavor Flav hanging out on the hook.



This bathroom is one of the few that is going to get a perfect score.  Three full tp rolls for excellent cleanliness, decor, and comfort!  Danke und auf wiedersehen!!