The Armadillo-- Kingston, NY

The Armadillo has been around for a long time.  In a neighborhood that still feels up and coming, this restuarant is a big draw to the area.  With burritos nearly as big as your head, I love going to the Armadillo.  Not only do they give you a lot of food, but it is absolutely delicious, and the owner is always friendly, offering a smile to all who enter.  With inside and outside seating, it is a lovely place.  As far as the seating goes, the only problem with being outside is that the interior and exterior are not very well connected.  To get to the restroom, I had to go around the back, which felt a little like I was in the wrong place (I wasn't. I confirmed).  When I got to the restroom, what did I find?

While entirely serviceable, the space was obviously originally intended as a single-use space.  The two stalls were extremely tiny.

You can see here that there won't be much knee space when inside.

 The problem with a tiny bathroom is trying to fit everything you need to have.  Good idea to put the soap over the faucet and under the mirror, but the paper towels still feel a tad awkward.

Cute hook, but maybe people don't understand how to use it?  Not sure why all the scratches.  Also, not so sure I like seeing the floor outside while I'm inside.  It's still within the bathroom, and I'm sure it's meant to let in light and make it feel bigger, but nope. 

Overall, the Armadillo more than satisfies, and the restroom, while cramped, is quite useable.  The decor is cute and Mex-American, and I will be back again.  And again...

http://www.armadillos.net/

Dominick's -- Kingston, NY

Dominick's, in uptown Kingston on the corner of North Front and Wall streets, is a comfortable if slightly crowded-feeling place.  While it is connected to Dream Weavers salon, we only used the cafe part.  Still, lots of things to see, including the passersby as we sit in the window seats.  

Finding the commode down the long narrow hallway, it suits the mood of the place.  It feels a bit small, a bit worn, but with an artistic edge.

It is a little tight, but doable.

Everything was useable with no issues.  You can see that there is some wear on the doorknob, but it almost adds to the charm.  All in all, Dominick's is a comfortable place with good food and a decent commode.

http://www.suitedreamskingstonny.com/the-cafe-salon/

Special Post -- Patreon!

A La Commode is a year old!  We're celebrating by starting a new venture here...

A La Commode is going Patreon!  If you like this blog, and would like to see it stay ad free, please consider supporting it by becoming a patron on Patreon!  (PSST!  You can get more than just ad-free A La Commode by becoming a patron!  Read on!)

Here's what you can get:

For $1 a month, you can get access to extra photos of the locations reviewed, and the knowledge that you helped keep A La Commode ad free!  Plus, my humble gratitude.

For $2 a month, you get the same as those who pledge $1 per month (including so much gratitude), plus the ability to play Find-It Friday!!  Watch the video to see how to play and what you can get!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bHO-4ZBQUE&feature=youtu.be

We're going to be going live at the beginning of September!

Seriously, a lot of gratitude for your sticking with A La Commode for so long.

The Gilded Otter -- New Paltz

The Gilded Otter is known for their beer.  Personally, I'm not a fan of their beer, except for one, but that's neither here nor there.  They have specials if you buy a mug that they keep there for you, with your own number and everything.

The place itself is a very open space with seating up and down and outside.  We were there on a very hot day, and it wasn't really as cool inside as we had hoped, but it was better than the 90+ outside, and there were a lot of people which always makes it hard to cool a space.

The restroom was a multi-stalled affair that infused color but could have been in a bit better repair. The cover for the heater was loose and got dislodged as we waited in line, and as you can see by the door, the paint is coming off.   What is it with people destroying locks in bathrooms?  Do they just get too much use or are there people who make it their mission to break them all?    The tiles, however, were pretty cool, and there was no issue with cleanliness.

Overall, I'd use this restroom again.  Nothing spectacular, but certainly functional.

http://www.gildedotter.com/

Yum Yum Noodle Bar (Part 2: Comic Room) -- Kingston, NY

Here's the long-awaited Part 2.  Still at Yum Yum, where the food is delicious and the restrooms are tiny but adorably thematic.  So not to be outdone, the second commode has its own theme.  This would be comics!  Not just any comics, but I can't place them.  Let me know if you know what it is and where it's from!

I am entranced with the fact that this mirror is hanging by hooks.  In case you had a fantasy that this restroom was bigger than the last one: nay.  Yet again, I couldn't do much without turning on the hand dryer.  I can't even guess what people must think goes on in here.

So this is the feature wall in this commode!  Very cool, and entertaining.  Wish I could read the language, but it's lots of fun anyway.

If you have a chance, and you like noodle bars, you'll enjoy Yum Yum!

http://yumyumnoodlebar.com/

Yum Yum Noodle Bar (Part 1: The Locks) -- Kingston, NY

The Yum Yum Noodle bar, situated off the beaten Uptown Kingston path, is a gem of a place.  Self-seating, table service, a waitress who explains anything you might not understand on the menu...A water-filled wine bottle with heavy glasses, napkins, chopsticks and more adorn the long tables.  The seating is benches that are surprisingly comfortable.
Food was quick to arrive, and absolutely yummy, as the name suggests.  Okay.  Now we come to why there are two parts to this one.  There are two separate commodes.  If they were similar, it wouldn't be a big deal to cover one.  However.  Today, I'll cover the Lock Bathroom.  (Next time will be the one that is not the Lock Bathroom.)

This is the sign on the door, which is about the width of the bathroom.  (I have to admit to being too chicken to ask about how the lock thing works this time.  If I get brave next time, I'll certainly post about it.)  I have to say that I love the color of this restroom.  Love love love it: bright, cheerful, and happy.

I love the angles of the sink.  Good pipe-hiding job.

This picture of the sink lets you see how very tiny it is.  Really adorable.  You can see how small the bathroom itself is if you look at the hand dryer and its proximity to the tp.  I couldn't do much moving around (like wiping the toilet: sorry hoverers, you're wrong) without setting the darned thing off.  It was annoying, but I can chalk that up to first world problems.

The artwork is charming enough and hints at what you're about to see.  This is a picture of the love lock bridge in Paris (which has since been taken down).

Now we come to the real charm of the room, and the reason for the sign.

A reflection of the far wall: a fence with many locks.

The wall itself!  It's hard to get the scale, but the fence covers the entire side wall of the bathroom.

Yum Yum Noodle Bar in Uptown Kingston is a charming place with a charming commode.  Only one demerit: no hook.  Highly recommend it!

http://yumyumnoodlebar.com/

Kokopelli's -- Poughkeepsie, NY

If you're in Poughkeepsie and you want a pizza that reminds you of NYC, Kokopelli's is the place.  With an ecclectic mix of Mexican and Italian, they also have Mexican sodas (including pineapple.  It was delicious.)  While the service was not bad, the waitress wasn't overly friendly either, but the people behind the counter making the food were quite cheerful.

On to the commode...

Cute picture...totoally appropriate.

Fine mirror and facilities, though I'm not sure why they left the spokes from the failed tp holder.  Handles?

The problem comes with the door.  Here, we not only have no hook, but it is pretty, um, not clean.

Overall, Kokopelli's is a neat place with a good mix of choices for MexItalian.  The commode is quite useable if a bit small and, as I said, a tad dirty.

http://kokopellispizza.com/