We know you single folks are busy. iList Paducah's Mary Thorsby goes on that first date so you don't have to!

August 1, 2010

Aloha Romay

Most folks love her for her amazing margaritas at Tribeca. But Aloha Romay is way more than tequila and lime. Therapist, artist and all-around extremely tattoo’d and beautiful chick, say hello to Aloha and enjoy her photography show at Tribeca! Check out her video, brought to us by Innovations Branding House!

Aloha Romay, you are cute, cute, cute, no doubt about it! Here we go!

1. I was born and raised in Maracaibo, Venezuela, and I have the most amazing parents anybody could ask for. I moved to Paducah in 2000 to pursue a Masters in Clinical Psychology from Murray State University.
   
   
2. About my name…everybody asks me if I am from Hawaii. My thought on that is: Would someone from Kentucky name their child “Howdy”? The truth about the origin of my name is that I didn’t have a name for days and finally my mom saw a banner that said “Aloha” while watching “Hawaii 5-0” and the rest is history.
   
   
3. Most people know me as the bartender from Tribeca but I do have what I call my “real” job doing Psychology. I work mostly with court-ordered domestic violence cases. It is me and about 12 guys. People ask me if I am “scared” of them and my reply always is: “They are afraid of me.”
   
   
4. I am so ADHD it is ridiculous. I have to make lists daily. Ironically I always find the lists about a week or so later and remember all the things that I was supposed to do.
   
   
5. I have always been very artistic. My birthday wish list always involved color pencils. I started using pastels, charcoal, watercolors and oils when I was 7. I put that to rest for a while until I decided to pick up acrylics about two years ago.
   
   
6. Then again my ADHD kicked in and I started doing photography as a stress reliever. Somebody very special to me encouraged me to pursue it further so I did. Now my digital photography is displayed at Tribeca Restaurant and Gallery. My show is called “32 flavors (& then some)” so go check it out. On that note…thanks for inspiring me K.V.
   
   
7. About my show…it is a very eclectic collection of images. The name came from one of my favorite Ani DiFranco songs. I thought that it was fitting because the show includes a little bit of everything for everybody. The photos also have titles inspired by songs. Music is one of my refuges. Highlight of my opening night: getting a compliment from one of my favorite artists in town.
   
   
8. I have been a HUGE soccer fan since 1982. Every World Cup I watch every single game and get really into it whether my team is playing or not. My team is Germany and even though they didn’t win the cup, they got third place — so not bad after all. I guess I have to retire my jerseys until 2014.
   
   
9. I love different. By that I mean, things out of the ordinary. It shows mostly in my clothes. I hate looking like everybody else so I do most of my shopping online. My neon yellow pants and my recently purchased red high tops have been the talk of my friends who, for some reason, are still surprised by my outfit choices.
   
   
10. I collect four things: Foreign coins, crosses, T-shirts and Angelina Jolie movies. This tells you how random I can be.
    
    
11. I love to make people laugh. I am always the comedian of the group. If you don’t know me you will think I am very hateful because my humor is very cynical and sarcastic. I feel like I am the illegitimate child of Nietzsche and Natasha Leggero.
    
    
12. Tattoos. I love them. All my tattoos have meaning…a lot of meaning. My favorite one is my chest piece dedicated to my grandmother and my aunt who passed away. It’s a sacred heart with a rosary around it, two sparrows, two Nautical Stars and the words “Dominus reget me” which is Latin for “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Every detail, including colors, symbolizes something.
    
    
13. I love antique stores. I can spend hours just looking at random things and thinking “What can I do/build/make with that?” This is how I realized that I am slowly becoming my mother.
    
    
14. Speaking of, I am the spitting image of my mom. If I didn’t know any better I would think that my dad wasn’t even involved. My mom is amazing: She curses like a sailor, can party like a rock star and has the biggest heart in this world. We fight and make up every day.
    
    
15. My dad…oh he is one of a kind. He really came from nothing (like my mom) and has worked so hard to give me the world and more. He has been abducted, shot and robbed, and yet he lives life to the fullest and is always joking.
    
    
16. What I miss the most about “home,” besides my parents, is food. I would give anything to have a Venezuelan restaurant nearby. God, I miss plantains and good cheese!!!
    
    
17. My favorite movie: The Sound of Music, hands down. For some reason I always get made fun of when I say that, but hell, it is a classic. If you haven’t seen it, you should. It may even make you a better person.
    
    
18. I LOVE giving presents. I try my best to give something personal that can’t be duplicated. After all, it is the thought that counts. So if somebody cries with my gift I know I did well.
    
    
19. I have more families than I can count. Because I don’t have my real family here, every holiday I get invited to a million places. That is one of the many blessings I have received.
    
    
20. Last thought: This is what I finally learned: Be whoever you want to be. Like Nietzsche said, “No price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.”