The MSPATTYCAKE Trailer Is The Cutest, Most Dominant New Force In The Dallas Nail Art Game.
At this point, you’ve probably seen the super cute MSPATTYCAKE trailer posted up somewhere around Dallas, either at your favorite hangout or perhaps out and about during festival season.
If not Dallas’ only mobile nail bar, Patricia Valle’s little pink and white moneymaker is certainly Dallas’ best-known. And for good reason: The almost overly-certified manicurist behind MSPATTYCAKE has been doing nails for some time now, taking her act to her clients since 1999.
But despite that long history of meeting clients where they needed to be met, a nail trailer was not initially in the cards for Valle. Like so many food truck operators before her, though, her cart represented an intriguing opportunity — a way for her to expand her brand and reach while avoiding the high costs of a brick-and-mortar shop.
“This wasn’t the plan for me,” Valle says about what her 2015 Reissue Pink Shasta Canned Ham Camper Trailer. “When I was younger, I was naive and wanted a shop that does nail art, tattoos and, like, a bar. I had all these ideas. But, as I got older, I enjoyed [doing nail art] so much I just did it for fun. So that was my life — until [my boyfriend] had the idea for the trailer.”
Valle traces back her nail art beginnings to her days growing up as a military brat, when she’d create designs for her girlfriends, inspired by the extravagant nail art of ’90s hip-hop artists like Lil’ Kim. Her El Salvadorian heritage also plays a role in her drive, as few Latinx nail artists are revered in the Asian- and white-dominated industry.
But Valle’s indeed making a name for herself in Dallas nail art these days — not just because of her trailer, but because of her talent and creativity. The sky is virtually the limit as far as designs go, as her Instagram feed testifies.
What’s he weirdest, most shocking designs she’s been tasked to paint? Vaginas and sperm definitely take the cake, she says.
“I used to be so nervous about it,” Valle says with a laugh. “But I get asked all the time for those now.”
Obviously, the convenience of a MSPATTYCAKE manicure is a major allure. But Valle’s personality and care for her clientele go a long way to its success, too. Not only are her sessions (she cheekily called them “hand jobs”) speedy with a $20 “quickie” option available, but her designs are made to dry within minutes of their application. She’ll paint nails anywhere — at her house or, for a fee, she’ll bring her trailer you or your event.
But the pure MSPATTYCAKE experience remains excitedly seeing the trailer parked at your favorite event or hangout and indulging in her designs on the spot, where she’ll just be excited to welcome you.
Says Valle: “I’m actually happy for the first time in my life to wake up everyday and do my job.”