E-MAIL CHRIS   PRINT   2008 COLUMNS   ARCHIVES   SEARCH ARCHIVES WOMEN AT THE BAR ON THE ROAD By Chris Barnett May 8, 2008 -- Decades after women were banned from barrooms or had their own door at the saloon and were separated from male imbibers, thirst parlors in the civilized world are passionately courting females to take their place at the bar. But women business travelers, who make up an estimated 42 percent of today's road warriors, are choosy about the lounges they will frequent. And they don't always feel comfortable sitting on a stool and bellying up to the bar. Lisa Parducci, a fitness director in Santa Rosa, California, usually goes downstairs to the hotel bar rather than venture out on her own in a strange city. But she doesn't just go to any hotel barroom. "I like narrower bars that are more intimate," she says. "I will not walk into a big bar where I am on display before an audience of people." She dislikes stuffy, mahogany-paneled pubs packed mostly with gents and steers clear of bars with ear-splitting music. The ABC Bar at the W Hotel in San Francisco and the bar at the Delano Hotel in Miami's South Beach are two of her favorites. Both are airy, chic and modern and have a balanced mix of men and women. Parducci likes to eat at the bar rather than solo at a table. She likes the grilled artichokes, crab cakes and margaritas on the rocks at Willi's Seafood, a local place where the bartenders are professional and keep an eye on her. A sociable sort, she chats with fellow imbibers at the bar. But if someone makes an unwanted advance or is "harassing me, I ask them to leave me alone. If I'm really being bothered, I'll move to another section of the bar or I'll just leave." When traveling solo, independent financial consultant Jean Mansen of Marin County, California, will "typically go to the hotel bar if it's nice rather than go looking for a restaurant bar or watering hole." She expects the bartender to "make me feel protected and at home, a rare talent." She will not sit at the bar, looks for an armchair near a table and likes bars with pianos. "It gives me someone to talk to who is non-threatening." Service that is "respectful, polite and watchful is most important to me," adds Mansen. She won't set foot in any saloon with a "pick-up, sleazy atmosphere." Her favorite bars are at Claridges in London and the Carlyle in New York. Recently, she was at a wedding at the Bath Priory Hotel in Bath, England. "The bar was tiny, very comfortable, cozy, library-like with a great barman who blended into the background." But when she asked for a chicken salad sandwich, it was slapped together and cost $35. "Imagine, a $35 chicken salad sandwich!" Irene Lui, a Fort Lauderdale public relations executive, is more adventurous. "I certainly sit at the bar--it's a little intimidating and I don't do it all the time--but it's better than being holed up in your room. And it's a great opportunity to get to know your city." Her checklist for a welcoming cantina is easy enough. "I won't go into an empty bar. I look for a flow of people coming and going and prefer more light than dark bars," she explains. "And if it gets overly packed and too loud, I'll walk out. It has to have a good vibe, a friendly ambiance, and you can feel that the minute you go in the door. Otherwise it's a turn-off." Lui is not reluctant to talk with strangers at a bar. "You never know who you're going to meet, but there are times when I don't want to have a conversation." While she will sit at the bar by herself with a glass of good red wine, Lui "won't go to a restaurant by myself. Dining alone is a little tougher to get adjusted to." Oh, by the way, there still are a few places where women aren't exactly welcome at the bar. Officials in Northern Rwanda chase women out of bars at 5 p.m.--ironically, the cocktail hour--to "reduce marital problems, including polygamy and misunderstandings."

ABOUT CHRIS BARNETT Chris Barnett writes about business-travel tactics and strategies that save time and money and help minimize hassles. He is based in San Francisco and has written for a wide variety of major newspapers and national magazines. Barnett on Business Travel is syndicated by Copley News Service. THE FINE PRINT Joe Brancatelli makes this space available to Chris Barnett in the spirit of free speech and to help encourage editorial diversity and the wider discussion of important travel issues. All of the opinions and material in this column are the sole property of Barnett. This material may not be reproduced in any form without the express permission of Chris Barnett. A NOTE TO EDITORS Barnett on Business Travel is available biweekly through Copley News Service. Contact: Glenda Winders. This column is Copyright © 2008 by Chris Barnett. JoeSentMe is Copyright © 2008 by Joe Brancatelli. All rights reserved.