Jan15-Jan21 - Miss New York USA Pageant!

On Sunday morning I woke up and felt sick which was not good because I had been looking forward to this day for a while! I have not been sick in a while but then the day I was going to attend the Miss New York pageant I got a cold! The Miss New York pageant is under the new management of K2 Productions and I was very excited to see their new show. I am going to be competing in the pageant next year and I have attended the pageant every year since 2005! I couldn't let this year be the exception so I rested, bought medicine, and then Sarah and I got ready to go!

The process of getting to the pageant was not easy because Sarah and I do not have our cars in the city. Dennise has her car at her sister's house in the Bronx and offered to let us use it! That was so nice of her and that wound up making our trip so much easier. We took the subway for 80 mins and then got in her car and drove to The Performing Arts Center at Purchase College!

I was so happy that we got there okay and when we went inside there were many excited families, friends, and fans! The production was great and the contestants were beautiful!

It was difficult to determine who the winner would be because there were many who stood out! After being judged in the categories of evening gown, swimsuit and interview, Johanna Sambucini was crowned the new Miss New York USA for 2012!

After the production it was so good to see my friend Rosalie who I have known since participating in the Miss New York Teen USA pageant! She is so sweet and beautiful and I really had hoped that she would do well in the pageant. She told me that next year should be my year and that meant so much to me <3

The next day was Martin Luther King Jr. Day which I usually attend the annual celebration at St. John Fisher College where there are speeches and performances, but this year I was not in Rochester. The theme of the event was "Unconditional Love For All" which is perfect for his remembrance because he has said the beautiful quote:

I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant. Martin Luther King Jr.

For the rest of the week I worked at Maialino and one night I met Jimmy Fallon! It was funny because my Aunt Susan was just saying that she was going to get tickets for us to go to his show this summer. Jimmy came in and was very outgoing and sat at our bar and talked with all of the guests around him. He was very funny and very nice! 

That weekend I was done with training for my hostess/reservationist job and I was working shifts on my own! Everything went pretty well even though it is a challenge to be alone in the office answering the phones and taking care of the guests' needs. I am really enjoying working there but I was also looking forward to visiting home the next week!