Loo of the Year

originally posted: 03/13/02

Brought to you by Jen X and her recent trip to London. Apparently our friends to the east have a little too much time on their hands; they actually spend time awarding prizes to bathrooms, or loos. (Incidentally, they're called "loo" from the French phrase "Gardez l'eau!" or "Watch out for the water!" This is the warning people used to holler when emptying their chamber pots out the window.) According to Jen, the facility at the Tower of London had actually won the Loo of the Year Award for several years running. To learn more about the attractiveness of Britain's public conveniences, go to www.loo.co.uk. Unfortunately, the site seems devoid of pictures, but Jen got one.

Smashing, whot?

The Loo of the Year Awards contest is run in association with the British Toilet Association (BTA), www.britloos.co.uk. Does such an organization exist in the U.S.?

Now that I think about it, though, maybe this award system isn't such a bad idea. I wouldn't mind knowing ahead of time where the nice restrooms were, and I'm sure Mother Media can agree. Last time she came to visit me at Sensational Acres, my sprawling country estate, we had terrible luck in our travels around the metro area. She still refers to that weekend as the Twin Cities Nasty Potty Tour. A Loo of the Year map would have been nice to have along.

Editor's note: Steer clear of the ladies' room at the Target on South Robert St. in St. Paul!

"Celery Stalks at Midnight" update: Skeeter sez: Your band is a thief! That's also the name of a children's book. Back when I was a child, there was a series of books about a vampire bunny (Bunnicula). I devoured these books.... The Celery Stalks at Midnight was when the vampire bunny got loose and sucked the color from vegetables around the house, leaving dried out albino veggies. Besides the bunny (who was white, with the exception of a black, cape-like marking on his back), there was an egomaniacal cat (Chester) who enjoyed reading the family's encyclopedia set and Howard, the lovable dog.