In chaotic moments, how do you ground yourself?
I like to ground myself, quite literally, by laying in the grass. A little sunlight and nature always helps me when things get hectic. If that's not possible, I love to sit in silence for however long it takes to quiet my mind.
What is your favorite meal to make? What is your favorite one to eat?
My favorite meals to make are the ones I make for my friends or boyfriend. When it comes to cooking for myself, I usually tend to do the bare minimum - but I'll always go all out and try new things when I'm cooking for others. Lately I've really enjoyed making me and my boyfriend a simple lunch with whatever yummy seasonal goodies I can find at the store: toasted sourdough, blistered cherry tomatoes, a soft boiled egg, and some sliced peaches.
I have a couple go-to restaurants in my neighborhood that I go to every chance I get. One is a local pizza spot that has the simplest, but yummiest appetizer that I get every time without fail: slivers of parmesan and romano, dipped in housemade hot honey. So good.
We know interior design is one of your passions. What gave you that first spark?
As far back as I can remember, I've always had an interest in aesthetics and surrounding myself with things that make me happy. Even growing up, I had strong opinions about how to decorate my bedroom, my locker, my dorm. I think the very first spark started as a child when I would decorate my Barbies' houses and arrange all their furniture exactly how I liked it. From there, as a teen I used to love playing The Sims and designing their houses (and of course use the cheat code to have unlimited money #rosebud lol).
What piece of jewelry would you love to gift someone?
Best friend necklaces :broken_heart: Specifically, the kind that you break in half and each person wears one side of a broken heart.
When are you most confident?
I'm the most confident when I'm behind the camera or designing a new space.
What have you learned about yourself recently?
I recently learned that despite my best efforts, I don't have my mother's green thumb.
Where is your favorite place you've lived?
New Orleans, hands down. I moved there on a whim in 2016 - I'd never been there before, I didn't know anyone, and I was doing a job I'd never done before in a field I had no experience in. Everything was new and New Orleans welcomed me with open arms. The sense of warmth and community there is indescribable and something I miss deeply.
What is your favorite photography project that you have created?
My favorite photography project I ever worked on was a series of self portraits I did in quarantine with my collection of chairs. I shot, modeled, and produced it all myself. The project served as a perfect encapsulation of so many things I hold near and dear to my heart: interior design (more specifically my favorite furniture piece: chairs), film photography, and lingerie by my dear friends at The Great Eros. With my work, I always love to capture softness and sensuality and I think this project did exactly that.
Bubble tea or ube ice cream?
BOTH! One of my absolute favorite treats is taro milk tea boba - I could literally have it every single day. And while taro and ube aren't exactly the same, they're closely related sweet purple root veggies. 10/10 would recommend trying if you haven't already - especially a taro slush boba with oreo if you're feeling fancy.
For more on Patricia, visit her @patricia_nygaard.