On Beauty at Bombay

Despite a tiring week, Friday night found me at Bombay with three girlfriends. Bombay is a bar/restaurant in Old Town that attracts a largely international tourist crowd.

It has a reputation as a meat market, and as is the case with a lot of venues in Prague the happiest shoppers are men. Between my girlfriends, we derisively call it the “Midget Bar”.

The atmosphere is almost always upbeat, which was perfect for me during our visit. I had so little energy that all I could do was people-watch and engage in some bar-stool philosophy....

A beautiful, tall girl chatting with an equally good-looking, tall man. Their respective group of short friends stand around with plastered smiles on their faces trying to figure out what to do with themselves.

Conclusion: Beauty attracts beauty; sometimes the rest of us are just bystanders.

A group of women two tables away from us. They have a “refreshed” look about them that hints to a familiarity with scalpels. They dance, drink and laugh, but they're mostly alone. Men steer clear of their table.

Conclusion: Plastic surgery can do wonders, but as a woman when you get to a certain age men in clubs are just not that into you.

One of my girls wants weight-lifting tips. A trainer is a good first step for a beginner, I tell her; weights can do wonders for the body even though she doesn't look like she needs much much. She protests. No, no, no, I need it. Pointing to her triceps—a classic problem area for many. I say, “If it's possible for you to look hotter than you already do....” Men have been throwing glances her way as she grooves in our tiny corner of the club.... "You're a very sexy woman." She covers her mouth. She looks stunned and touched: “People don't really say that about me....”

Conclusion: Everyone could use a bit of affirmation....and not just about beauty.