May 2nd-May 9th - Miss USA Coaching Trip!

Friday morning I did another intense workout class in preparation for Miss USA.

The next couple of days I met up with my best friends Sarah and Liz and I went to dinner at Good Luck with Mike's family and friends! 

I also spent more time putting together outfits for Miss USA. Since the dress that I ordered to wear during my Miss USA interview was off of a website that was no longer running, I got another dress that I thought would be a good backup incase I didn't find one in time. 

On Monday I was supposed to fly to train with my sponsored pageant coach, Michelle Holmes, in Illinois but my flight was canceled so I had to go the next morning. In the meantime I started studying facts on bullying for an upcoming appearance I had. When I got to Illinois I had a nice time going to dinner with Michelle and her parents. The next morning we went shopping for wardrobe to wear to Miss USA since I would be there for two weeks and could be changing multiple times a day for different events. 

Then we went to a local gym where we had our own room for me to practice my walk and what to do during judges presentation before preliminary competition. I also talked to one of the workers and purchased protein powder for me to build more muscle from my workouts. Then we went back to Michelle's shop, The Pageant Room - Joyce's Boutique to look around and try on my Miss USA gown for tailoring. After dinner I read over some pageant interview questions before going to bed. Thursday morning we talked about my ideal dress for my Miss USA interview and Michelle helped sketch it. 

I called Arlene Sutherland, a designer from Rochester, New York, to talk about custom making the dress for me. She said that if I got the fabric I wanted and could fittings with her that she could do it! Then Michelle and I went over a lot of information including some interview questions to help prepare me for Miss USA. Later we went to Michelle's shop where I tried on my gown after the alterations were done! I walked in my gown and felt incredible! It was beautiful and perfect. Afterwards, the great makeup artist Hernan Rivera came to the store and did my makeup for a photo shoot! 

Then the talented and sweet team, A Marlow Photography, came and set up while Michelle got out some dresses and we had a great time shooting outdoors at a nearby winery/park and inside against backdrops.

The next morning we quickly looked at fabrics to start thinking about what I would get my Miss USA interview dress made out of. That concluded my trip and it was a great one! Thank you Michelle for this opportunity and to your family for their wonderful hospitality! Then I flew to New York City for an appearance!