Paula

Paula

Jewelry Designer, Bondage Fan, Photographer

“All my jewelry’s are functional. Some of these you can tie someone up with or you could wear it as a symbol of something that you’re into within your kink world. I want the girl who wears my jewelry and feel kinky to look into it more. If you’re already attracted to it, there is a little part of you that is naughty. It’s about exploring it and understanding it. There is a depth to it.”

“ Home is where you’re truly at ease with your mind. I think everyone needs to have a home in NYC or else you’re going crazy. Not having that peaceful place can really make you anxious and neurotic. That is what’s so romantic to me. Having that kind of home and then going out doing something dirty.”

“I remember last year of high school, and I got a fake ID. All the clubs where suddenly available and I got to do a lot of bad stuff. All the things to explore and the trouble you can get into. It’s not available everywhere.”

“In the past I worked as a dominatrix for a while. I once were seeing a guy who worked like 70 hours a week. Everything was extreme in his life. He was a typical guy going to a dom. Really wealthy and had a couple of companies doing well. He had 2 apartments. 1 for all the girls providing him with several things. He would have a girl cleaning his house naked. Once I went to his actual house and he had a girl living in a cage. He treated her like a dog. It was kind of sick.”

“I think that any other place in the world, if you work out problems the same way you do in in New York like binge drinking, smoking cigarettes and getting beaten physically by a dom you’re considered a crazy person.”

“I get lonely here even though I have good friends. Everyone is busy. It’s just the pace. If it was slower, people would have more time to connect to each other, but you’re always doing something and there’s always something to do, so you can’t really plan a cool friend date. It’s the New York way.”

“People who spit on the street. I want you to burn in fire”

Favorite neighborhood? Lower east side bordering Chinatown, it’s such a great mix you can get a posh juice but also be broke AF and have a full meal. The clash of cultures is amazing.

Favorite street to stroll? I love Bayard Street, but you have to be in a certain mood.

Why? It’s crowded and smelly, I put on headphones and blast a symphony of some sort. It fits the ambiance of all the synchronized chaos.

Favorite restaurant? I love love KIKIS on Division street. Go during the week you’re guaranteed a table, it’s a trap on the weekends. Sweet staff, and the portions are grandma size.

Favorite bar? For a great martini - shitty service NYC style in the best way - Fanellis is great.

Hidden gem? My friends are gonna hate me for blowing up this spot... but AUX EPICES. So good cash only serving French Malaysian food.

How to be(come) a New Yorker? GROW A PAIR. Do the things you want to, the things that scare you, get out of your comfort zone, This city is dope and people respond to confidence and adventure. New Yorkers don’t hate tourists that hilarious to me, we hate the meek and scared. shut up and do it.

Your New York soundtrack? Cam’ron — Hey Ma’ ft. Juelz santana.

5 THINGS THAT TELLS A STORY ABOUT PAULA

NIPPLE TASSELS “My first performance tassels. I was a pinup and I learned how to use these. When I’m old and saggy and my tits don’t work anymore, I can look back at these to remind myself how they once were in excellent shape.”

JOURNAL “This is my journal from when I was a dominatrix. I keep it as a reminder. I wrote down everything. Clients names, stories, what I went through. It kept me sane.”

PURSE “This was the first purse I ever got from a client. I made them buy me stuff. The control I had when being a dom was a different world.”

GODZILLA “Godzilla first edition. I’m secretly a nerd. I have a comic book collection. If you know about comic collectibles you will freak out when you see this. It lives on top of the shelves and whenever I take it down, my dog goes crazy.”

CAMERA “The first camera I ever bought. It used to belong to my college Professor. I took my first critiqued photograph with this which was reviewed by Bill Cunningham. I got my grant out of it.”