I hope this picture of the bathroom at Bus Stop was taken on Halloween.

Big thanks to Cap to the Hill for the link!

Bathrooms Immortalized

When the 500 block of East Pine was shut down and torn down (only to be replaced with nothing) we lost some very cool bathrooms. Projects like this blog can only do so much to show what infamous bathrooms like the ones at the original Pony or Bus Stop became. I hoped at the time that the walls at Bus Stop would turn up in chunks in a rubble pile we could pick from, but I doubt anyone even thought at the time to snap a comprehensive set of photos.

That's why a project like this recreation of the bathroom at CBGB fascinates me so much. How often do you get a chance to visit an old favorite place that no longer exists? Sure, we can take a tour of Kennedy's Air Force One, but what about the neighborhood dive with the strangely compelling collection of bumperstickers and toys?

For now your best bet is to get pictures while you can.

Hotel Murano

1320 Broadway Plaza (Tacoma)

Web/Yelp

A few months ago, I won a free night at Hotel Murano by answering a pretty difficult trivia question on Twitter. I was thrilled, because I've missed out on so many free hotel nights at Hotel Max that were given to the first person to answer an easy question. Having to actually do some research weeded out the competition and I swooped in for the kill. Winning a free night in Tacoma was great, because I like to go down there once in a while, but coming home on the bus after a few drinks can be difficult to say the least.

I'm not sure how many bathrooms there are onsite, but I saw three and they were similar enough that I only took photos in one. In fact, I can't remember if this is the lower level near the conference rooms, the lobby level near the bar somewhere, or the fourth floor near their fantastic restaurant, Bite.

I've been on the fence about these bowl sinks for several years now, but I just decided that I really like them, mostly because they're practical. You can set things down on the counter and not worry about them falling in the sink.

The bathroom in my room upstairs also had one.

I love the blue glass counter, but feel sorry for the poor maid who has to clean it.

Hotel Murano is a great destination, even if you aren't actually staying there. I had a great time at the lobby bar, starting with a drink as pretty as the bathroom upstairs.

Our first course at dinner was lobster corndogs, which I've wanted to try for months.

Do be sure to at least pop in for breakfast sometime. I had the best eggs benedict of my life there. And just like her sister Hotel Max, Murano is a beautiful place to linger and soak up the decor. I should also add, if you are thinking of taking a little "gaycation" down South, Murano is an easy few blocks from The Mix and Club Silverstone.