Two places in the past week have informed me that they are planning special Ladies' Nights with free drinks and other benefits. About time too!!

The Aero Pit, the new nite spot in the Regal Shanghai East Asia Hotel (phew!, that's a long one!), is offering a free soft drink for ladies on a Friday night.

Mandy's, the new bar on Hengshan Lu which is sharing a garden with Sasha's, is POSSIBLY taking it a step further. It is offering a free drink every Friday night, it says here, from 7pm to 1am. At least, I think that's what they mean. The fax in fact says: "We invite the most sophisticated and charming ladies in town to Monday's for a new experience!!" I am presuming Mandy's became Monday's through some time-warp transfer and that the actual free drinks are available on Friday. But it does not specify WHAT free drink, so I'm going to try ordering a double scotch on the rocks, the most expensive variety, and see how far the generosity extends!! Also unclear is how Mandy's will ensure that us sophisticated and charming ladies only get one drink. I have a spare wig and a variety of different accessories to use if you'd like to borrow them!!

Also offering ladies' night benefits, I notice, is Modern Talk on Xinhua Lu, near the Dingxi Lu intersection. If YOUR venue is offering special benefits of ANY kind to the fairer sex (no competition there!), PLEASE let me know. This sort of thing needs to be encouraged! It's a good sign that competition is making the nocturnal venues I frequent more sensitive to the issues that make the difference between profit and loss, crowds and emptiness. The fact is that without our attendance, many bars would simply have to shut down.

I don't know why the benefits need to stop at free drinks either. Any suggestions, just let me know! I personally wouldn't say no to a good dinner and a slice of cheesecake! And I would look favorably on a free return ticket to Macau!!

Byeeeee!!!