You know when you are on a road trip (to the outlet mall, for example, in suburban Illinois), and you really really have to pee? You've been cursing yourself all the way there for not stopping at home to pee before heading out. You don't want to pee at a rest stop (if there even are any) so you are holding out for a McDonalds or Wendy's because fast food establishements beat the gas stations hands down...even though for the most part they are gross and disgusting anyway (and Subway isn't a good choice - cause it's a lot harder to sneak into a Subway and pee without buying anything)...and you are really really getting desperate. I have found the solution. Hotels. They are easy to come by right off expressways. Why didn't I think of this sooner? It literally never occurred to me until...
I was on my way back from the women's retreat that I went on in early March, with a car full of people and we all had to pee. Right in front of us, the Hilton. All you have to do is march in as if you are already checked in and staying there - look confident, like you know where you are going...it isn't as if any employee is going to confront you, and find the public bathroom somewhere off the main lobby. What a great idea. Sure it's a slightly farther walk, but it's clean, the floors and toilet seats aren't covered in pee, there is toilet paper, soap, papertowels, sometimes even lotion. I would take marble counter tops and dry floors any day over peeing in any of those other places while traveling. The only down side that I can see to this, is that unless the hotel has an in house convenience store, you can't re-load on snacks.
This actually may solve the downtown Chicago peeing dilemna as well. When you come to Chicago and you are wandering around shopping - or interviewing for example - you have limited options to pee in the city. You can pee at Borders, a department store, the couple of malls on Michigan Ave. or the Chicago Public Library (which by the way has some of my favorite bathrooms in all of downtown Chicago...the ones at O'hare airport are good too - surprisingly). I know about the Library bathrooms because before I moved here, when I would come into town to interview, and I had time to kill between interviews, and really had to pee - frequently I would go to the Library. There are some cafes that will allow you to use the bathroom if you buy something - but for the most part, it is more difficult to find a public bathroom here than you would think. You might be blocks and blocks away from any options. I bought a truffle the other day from my favorite chocolate shop - Moonstruck, just cause I had to pee. Turns out it was the best truffle I have ever had there - I almost went back for a second.
In any event - if you are out shopping in Chicago, or whatever, and you need to use the bathroom - just walk into any hotel. They are everywhere here and no one is going to question whether you belong there, there are so many people running around...seriously, some hotels, like the Hotel Intercontinental, are a tourist attraction anyway - for the interesting period decorations and famous swimming pool. Just walk right on in - what the heck, take a seat in the lobby and rest while you are there.
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