Occupation: Photographer
Mom of: 2 girls
Can you tell us a secret no one would guess about you?
I’m a tightly-wound neurotic perfectionist with chronic anxiety and a penchant for addictive behaviors! Those closest to me already know this, but so many people I meet and work with describe me as chill and go-with-the-flow, and quite frankly I find it hilarious because my insides are the polar opposite. I’m guessing I’m just really good at method acting and/or functioning with a tornado of a brain. Also, Zoloft for the win!
One meal you could eat everyday?
Peanut butter and anything (within reason)! And if I had endless disposable income, I would subsist solely on lobster rolls and Erewhon’s Strawberry Glaze smoothies (I said what I said).
One vice you wont give up?
Post-cancer Nicki is all about that YOLO lifestyle (to a certain degree), and I’ve since been collecting a fair amount of tattoos to mark new milestones. I also love my Kiva weed gummies, but they help with chemo-induced nausea and sleep, so maybe that’s just self-care?
Late riser or early bird?
Does lying awake and making to-do lists at 3am count as an early bird? In all seriousness, I would love to be the type that wakes with sun and sneaks in a workout before the rest of the house stirs, but not a day goes by where I begrudgingly get out of bed.
Morning routine you swear by?
I wish I had a GRWM-worthy list of tips and tricks to share, but the truth is, I often sleep in my eye makeup, rely too much on my snooze button, and reluctantly roll out of bed to get my girls to school with about 30 seconds to spare. That being said, I do find time to “clean” my bedhead with a few sprays of Living Proof’s Advanced Clean dry shampoo (it’s the best out there, and I’ve honestly tried them all), and I swear by Revlon ColorStay eyeliner for a near-perfect cat-eye following a solid night’s sleep!
One day I hope…
…there is a cure for cancer—of every kind. I may have survived my diagnosis, but it was through pure luck that I’m still here—and I still think about it every hour of every day and hope and pray that I don’t relapse. It’s a disease that has taken too many friends and loved ones, and has affected the large majority of people in my life in some way or another.
More the merrier or less is more?
I’m a collector at heart, and while I love a good purge, I also love to hunt and gather. My maximalist soul says the more the merrier always—I can never get enough art and objects in my life, and the same applies to friendships (I like to say that I enjoy collecting human bonds too)!
Cool Brands you love?
I have the honor of getting to know so many makers and creatives in this SoCal community, and as such, some of my nearest and dearest also happen to be founders of my favorite brands—to name a few: Heather Taylor Home (for pillows and textiles and any and all charming home goods), Milk Teeth (for kids’ clothes that I covet for myself too), Stacy Nolan (for shiny and meaningful heirlooms), Nucifera (for the most luxurious clean body products), and Mother Tongue Magazine (because print is not dead)!
On the horizon: what’s coming soon?
I used to be obsessed with having short-term and long-term plans, but leukemia turned my world upside down in so many ways, so now I’m all about living day-to-day and doing so with guts and gusto! In essence, I’m just riding this wave called life for now—and enjoying it as much as possible. (But if you’re looking for a more concrete response, I’ve been working on a rebrand with my dear friend and gifted designer Ashley of Smash & Co Creative, and my new website is coming in 2024!)