395 Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Grade: A+
Places to Do Business had the pleasure of traveling to Los Angeles last week, and my posts for the next week or so will cover the various men's rooms - and one unisex restroom - that I came across. In general I found many of the facilities to be quite nice, though it is true that we mostly only visited nice establishments (it being a vacation and all).
Sonoma Wine Garden in Santa Monica has a fantastically decorated men's room. In keeping with the restaurant's theme, the floor-to-ceiling wallpaper displays a wide variety of wine bottle labels. The sliding door includes a fun illustration with directions on how to lock it, just in case a rube such as myself finds themselves very confused by the non-traditional setup. The toilet automatically flushes, and the urinal is of the
water-free design that I encountered almost everywhere in Los Angeles.
Perhaps my favorite part of this restroom, though, is the layout. While some might find the sink placement awkward (outside of the restrooms themselves and directly in between the men's and women's rooms, so that men and women share the two sinks), I find that this is a great way of keeping people honest when it comes to washing their hands. Everyone will know if you do not wash your hands, as you will simply exit the bathroom and walk right past the sinks. This is not just great for appearance's sake, but for helping to stop the spread of germs and bacteria in general.
Plus, the sinks - and the sink area in general - are beautiful.
