La Casa Hermosa Photoshoot/South Florida Fair

Not only is La Casa Hermosa the premier gown shop in South Florida, but they are also the Official Gown Sponsor of Miss Florida USA. Therefore, I was fortunate to receive an invite to participate in the LCH photo shoot featuring the dresses and accessories for their Spring Prom line. We met at Robin Fleming’s home in Wellington early Saturday morning and got started immediately. There were so many dresses and only 8 hours to squeeze everything in!!!!! Dresses were flying, photos were getting snapped and smiles were everywhere :)


Grant would not miss out on the opportunity to make a youtube video for the Miss Florida USA channel so you better believe he drove up from Miami to get in on the action…lol Anastasia Pierre, Miss Florida USA 2009, made a guest appearance as she had to leave before lunch for another photo shoot on the West Coast of Florida. Also present was our Miss Florida Teen USA Alyssa Rivera, Amanda Zitzman, Annilie Hastey, Sheri Riley, Kelly Saks, Jessica Wittenbrink, Lisette Garcia, Kelly Haffner, Christie Nowels, Alex Ming and Jules Meyer.

I am able to post some of our pics, but to see them all you will have to stay tuned for when the professional photos are revealed!

As soon as the shoot was over, I scooped up my boyfriend and we made our way to the South Florida Fair for the annual Miss South Florida Fair pageant. I am very close to those involved with the fair as Miss SFF 2005 was my first title in the Miss America System. Since then, I have my own “Fair Family” as I call them :) Dan, Lisa, Carrie, Pamela, Vicki, Rita, Henry, Maryanne and Chris! I look forward to seeing all of them every January!

I usually spend all day and night at the fair, but because of the shoot there was only time for one perfectly cooked, greasy corndog (which is probably a good thing…lol) before the pageant began. The Miss SFF titleholders have had many success stories in the past decade as myself and Shannon Ford have gone on to win the title of Miss Florida USA, and several of our past titleholders have placed in the Top 15 and Top 5 at Miss Florida USA and Top 10 and Top 5 at Miss Florida America. Along with the title comes a very generous $3000 college scholarship and a $1000 cash scholarship which draws heavy competition from the neighboring counties. This is why there is always a talent audition in November to narrow the girls down to 15-20 contestants. The year I competed, 60 young women auditioned and 20 of us competed.

This year was no different! I am proud to announce that Courtney McKenzie, a former Miss Florida USA local titleholder is the new Miss South Florida Fair 2010! She was so excited as this was her second year competing. It goes to show you that persistence pays off.

I had the opportunity to speak with Courtney on Sunday as she stopped by my autograph table in the EXPO Center on the fairgrounds. She took full advantage of her title arriving hours earlier to tour the fair. She held a rooster, milked a cow and is preparing herself to KISS A PIG! Kissing a pig is a Miss SFF tradition and all titleholders, though they will not admit, enjoy doing it:) I cannot wait to see that picture…lol Congratulations Courtney! Knock ‘em dead at state!