Grub Street

Last week we noted that the once cutting-edge bathrooms of Brasserie were looking quite dull, but on the other side of 53rd Street is MoMA, a place that cultivates the sort of modernism that stands the test of time. Just step into the sexy lighting of the restrooms tucked behind the giant photomural in its ever-elegant eatery, the Modern.

Concept: A frosted-glass door opens to reveal a gleaming hallway where a row of WCs face a mirrored wall and a line of sinks, each with its own towel, incense, and tulip station.

Privacy: Plenty once you've figured out the heavy locks.

Amenities: A light comes on as you push the door open; there are insignia paper towels as well as a mirrored wall over the toilet.

Drawbacks: The trash compartments built into the sink stations aren’t easy to spot; the automatic faucet has a confusing trigger: “They need picture instructions,” said one elderly victim.

Strategy: Strike up a conversation with the person at the sink next to you by saying, “This is just like André Derain’s The Bathers.”

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