An Englishman in New York Paddles

Hmm.. this is a bit of a combined scene report and review of Paddles. I've never clubbed or played in a public venue before, so this is all new to me!

OK, I'm still a newbie to the scene, but have been fortunate enough to find someone whom I love and whom I trust and can submit to. Unfortunately she's in New York, which causes some frustrations. So, mid January I went to New York and met her for the first time. We had played in private and in an invitation only party, and on Friday my Mistress took me to Paddles. This is the first club I'd ever been to, so I wasn't sure what to expect.

Entering Paddles involves walking through some hanging plastic strips and down a pink lit corridor, then down some stairs and round a corner. We got there just after 10pm and there was no queue to get in at all. Well, we _were_ a little early, I thought. Because Mistress and I were with another man (switching to be a sub for the night) the cost was US$5 for Mistress and US$30 for myself and the other man. Coat check was US$1.50.

Entering the place, Mistress clipped a chain to my collar and led me around. I found it adequately well lit but almost totally empty; only half a dozen other people were there, and only one couple looking like they were there to play.

Right by the entrance is the bar area. Nudity (eg showing of penises) is not allowed there, but in other areas of the club it is OK. Three tables with benches are there. I put Mistresses toy bag down there, and she verified with the manager that it was OK (despite the signs saying don't do it).

To the right of the bar area was a fixed wooden chair with straps to hold legs down and with a crucifix type bar at shoulder levels for arms; again with straps. Plenty of other eye bolts on that chair. The chair didn't have a seat, and the leg supports were angled around 100 degrees apart... maybe more. It was too wide apart for me to fit in, but other people used it OK. Also either side of the chair were some suspension points.

Past this was an area designed for suspension play, with various hoists and pulleys and a few fixed points.

To the left of the bar was the "smoking area". In this was a "bird cage" (around 7' high I guess) which was also connected to a hoist. A leather bed with corner restraints, a raised chair with overhead arm restraints, and a wall with restraining points for arms and legs (spreadeagle, perfect for flogging). Oh, and also a penis guilotine.

Initially I was disappointed, since it didn't look very big and so I felt it had been overhyped.

Mistress asked me what I liked best, and after a moments thought I replied the Cage, because I've always liked the idea of abandonment while locked up. Slightly surprised (Mistress expected the chair because of previous discussions) she nevertheless led me to the cage and told me to get in.

At this point I was still dressed in my leathers, with my collar locked on and a leash attached. Mistress closed and catched the door (no lock on it... safety I guess... she may take a padlock next time *wiggle*) then went over to the winch handle and started raising me off the ground. Until that point I hadn't realised it could be raised! Mistress raised me about 1' off the ground (I guess) then locked off the handle and came round. She ordered me to scrunch down until I was at her level (could barely do it... I'm big) and then kissed me through the cage and pulled on the leash. She told me to stand up and wrapped the leash around a bar, then left to talk to the rest of our party, who had arrived by that point.

I didn't have a watch, so I don't know how long passed... Even though it was the smoking area, only one person was there, so it wasn't a bad atmosphere. Some time later I felt a smack on my arse through the cage, which caused me to jump. The cage was spun round and I found my Mistress had returned to see how I was doing. A few more kisses and she then raised the cage even more, and then spun the cage and left me twisting back and forth while the party watched me and chatted then walked off (another quick twist of the cage).

Another longer period of time passed, and another older playing couple (Domme/sub) walked past and watched me (I noticed later that he was put in the cage as well), then Mistress smacked me again and started raising the cage to it's highest position and left me spinning for quite a long time.

I was beginning to get bored and wondering if Mistress had been distracted by other members of our party, and was beginning to feel sexually aroused at the thought. I didn't dare try and get out of the cage, but if I had been temporarily forgotten, I could have been there for a while... *wiggle* With the cage so high I _could_ see over the wall seperating the smoking section from the bar area, and could JUST see other members of our party there, so I _knew_ I hadn't been abandoned totally.

Eventually, Mistress returned to me but was annoyed that I was so high up that she couldn't kiss me, so tried to let me down again. Unfortunately she wasn't too sure on the handle mechanism and needed help, which was quickly provided. She lowered me down. The natural hanging position of the cage had the door to the side, so she raised it up again a fraction and twisted it so that the door faced front. She then unhooked my leash from the cage and opened the door and ordered me out.

She then led me over to the chair and we stood watching some other players which she considered her next move, and she gave me some water.

At this point the management opened some more doors and let another area of play open... this area added about 60% more space to the club and had in it another chair (with adjustable legs), a stretching rack, two chairs with a strange back...suitable for torso bondage I guess and a metal frame connected to a device which allowed it to be rotated through 360 degrees, victim turned feet over head. Also here, which we missed first time round was a dog kennel (complete with bowl!).

Mistress examined the chair there, but the adjustable leg wobbled a lot, and I assume Mistress determined it was unsafe because we didn't use it. Other players did afterwards.

Knowing my desire for streching racks, Mistress ordered me undressed, but (at this point we were unsure of nudity rules) to keep my underpants on. She also knew my feet get cold easily, so I kept my socks on. The temperature of the place was about right; I didn't feel cold at all. I had my glasses and ear cuff taken off and a leather hood placed over my head. I'm sure I the blindfold and gag weren't attached at that point; I can remember seeing players on a chair, but I don't remember about the gag. I'm pretty sure I spoke to Mistress though.

I had padded wrist cuffs placed on me and was told to lay face down on the rack (padded leather) and mistress attached the provided ankle cuffs to the ropes, and used two hooks to attach my wrists. She then started tightening the ropes until I was held tight. A small bit of work was needed on one of the ropes (it didn't tighten the same as the rest, so was a little loose and needed adjustment) but at the end I was being stretched comfortably by wrists and ankles unable to move much at all, and totally unable to escape.

While I was contemplating my position, Mistress must have been arranging her toys. I think she also borrowed a small rubber flogger (which she _really_ likes) from a member of our party. I also remember she borrowed a couple of spanking paddles (different leather covers... one stings more than the other, and it does!). When she was ready she set about me.

The order that she used the toys in hazes in my mind. I remember thinking that the thin fabric of my underpants were great and probably saved me from the worst of her spanking, but that possibly allowed her to hit harder. I dunno. I remember jerking and grunting as various things hit me, and I remember grinning as I wondered how hard Mistress was hitting. During most of this my eyes were closed, but I remember at one point (maybe when Mistress stopped?) that I saw the players on the chair stopping their play and staring at me which made me grin even more. Do I look that good tied down and beaten? *grin*

After some period of this, Mistress stopped and came over and caressed me. I started to relax and enjoy the feeling when she asked my permission to hit harder and to push my limits. Since I am new, I don't have any ideas what my limits are. However I trust Mistress, so I consented. After she verified that I still knew my safewords she started again... much harder. The sensation never concentrated on one part of my back for any long length of time, so I never settled into ignoring it... each stroke was new and painful. My body was now totally out of my control and was writhing to try and avoid the hits.

After one hit I arched further than I thought I had freedom for! This turned out to be the last hit. Whether it was the hardest because it _was_ to be the last, or whether Mistress decided I had had enough (seeing me jerk so much) and stopped there, I'm not sure. There were almost tears in my eyes at this point. I really don't know if I would have wanted that to continue or not. 30 seconds afterwards I wanted more more more, but at that exact moment... dunno.

Mistress calmed me, stroked me, praised me as I lay there shaking, then she loosed the ropes and released me. I still didn't move until ordered to sit up, which I just about managed to do... I felt so weak. After a minute to check I was OK, Mistress went back to the bar area to get some water for herself and me. While she was gone I gathered enough strength to stand up and staggered to the back of the rack where I started loosing the ropes and pulling them back into position for the next players.

Mistress returned and connected the wrist cuffs together, then connected the leash midway down to that, so my arms were held at chest height. She then attached the blindfold to the hood. I can't remember if the gag was used here either. Blinded, she then led me out of that room and back to the main chair. She helped me up the steps, but when I had trouble getting on the chair she took off the blindfold. I struggled to get into it, but eventually we had to give up. Despite my long legs, I'm just not as flexible as some people!!

Instead she led me to the dog kennel (which we hadn't noticed first time round) and put me in there to cool down and relax. The door didn't close properly; the bolt doesn't 100% line up with the hole in the frame. After some struggling the bolt was pushed across enough to keep the door closed; but not full way (so it couldn't be padlocked closed). There was a carpet in the kennel which was sufficiently comfortable to lie on naked. It was around 8' long, 3' wide and 4' high, sloping down at the back. I found at the back an empty condom packet, so I don't know whether it had been used for sex before :-)

I was left there for quite a while, cuffs still attached to the leash, watching people (blurred without my glasses). One pratt saw me there and rested his backside on the bars and stuck his shoe heel through. I was contemplating biting it :-) Instead I rolled over on my back and rested. Mistress checked on me a couple of times, but didn't talk to me.

Eventually I was let out, and had my hood taken off. I was given a bottle of water and told to drink. The cuffs were released from the leash, but still connected together. I was asked if I wanted to see another member of our party being well topped, which I agreed to. Mistress led me by the leash to the smoking area, and wrapped the leash around a convenient pipe. I requested my glasses so I could see better, and they were given to me.

The person who started the topping was VERY good; he can swing a flogger quite artistically, using the weight and momentum of the flogger to help line itself back up for the next stroke with minimum effort. It looked very pretty and I was impressed. The bottom was cuffed to the wall I mentioned above. This was sufficiently well designed; the area was a tunnel like thing, so there was plenty of room for the top to move and swing, but with no chance of any random person walking into the swing area. Lighting was a bit dull for onlookers, but adequate. Despite being in the smoking area, and chained near a group of smokers, I really didn't feel the smoke at all. I'm normally sensitive to this, but they must have some good air-con working in that area!

After this was over, Mistress eventually returned and took my leash and led to me where she was about to top the other person who came with us. This was harder since he is a switch and normally Dom's. I got to play "Igor the helpful assistant", fetching and holding for Mistress, but I won't talk about this play since I wasn't really a participant. That's between Mistress and the other player.

Eventually (I guessed later, around 0230) I was told to dress up again and we left. I didn't want to go (wanted to be beaten more!) but I must have been more tired than I thought, because I almost slept in the van on the way back, and when we made it back to the house I slept almost as soon as my head touched the pillow.

One amazing thing about the whole night is that it was not crowded at all. Indeed, the place was almost empty. If your first choice toy wasn't available (VERY unlikely!) then your second choice was always free. Hmm... it's difficult to tell but the number of players to watchers also seemed pretty high. Obviously all players watch at some point (between their own plays, or when coming down), but there were very few vanilla dressed people, and few fetish dressed non players. It made for a comfortable atmosphere.

Thank you Mistress for a lovely night out.