Frankly I'm amazed I never got around to writing a post about the Manhattan bathroom scarcity problem while I was living there. It's honestly worse in New York than it was in France - because in Europe, at least, it's socially acceptable to pee outside in a state of bladder emergency. There are just NO public bathrooms! There are virtually no gas stations to rely on, and restaurants (even the McDonald's!) and coffee shops restrict their access by key. Even most libraries don't have them! There are few worse things than being downtown and having to go, especially if you're on a budget and can't afford a cup of coffee every time nature calls. All smart New Yorkers have their own, well-guarded lists of places they can depend on in a pinch (I won't share all of mine, but should you find yourself in need on the Upper West Side, may I refer you to the Cathedral), but still! So much unnecessary stress!
However: New Haven, while it hasn't yet realized that its denizens might occasionally want to hail a cab or crave an Ethiopian red lentil curry, has come to the enlightened discovery that its citizens have normal human body functions. Whether you find yourself on the Yale campus, with its blessedly unlocked buildings (take that, Columbia!), or simply near a restaurant that doesn't have dictatorial policies about restroom access, you don't have to plan a day in New Haven around your bathroom breaks. And it is absolutely glorious.
I was delighted to find out this summer that, while the big box store I used to rely on near Union Square has changed hands, its neatly hidden but blessedly unlocked third-floor bathroom remains.
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