The Miss Florida USA & Miss Florida Teen USA

Magazine of June 15th, 2006

Dear Miss Florida USA Family:

Welcome to another edition of YOUR Miss Florida USA & Miss Florida Teen USA Magazine YOUR information source for everything pageantry in the Sunshine State. With a rare weekend off it has been the perfect time to recharge those batteries for the pageant homestretch! This weekend sees our crew taping powerboat races and volleyball tournaments this weekend for the broadcast. Then it’s our final gathering before state as “It’s Never Too Hot For Fashion” in Hollywood as our Broward Outreach Fashion Night is next Thursday June 22^nd. This promises to be one great evening of fashion and friendship to benefit the homeless assistance center of Broward County.

This week’s Ezine takes us to Australia, Bolivia and Ghana as the world is in pursuit of this years Miss Universe title. On the home-front we have the latest news from around the Sunshine State with some 2008 Season announcements and one last weekend of fun in Hollywood before state. On Faces & Places we feature a touching story on our new Miss USA. Finally Gen Art as always keeps you on the cutting edge of style and fashion. All the pageant news that fits to print updated on Thursdays and Fridays and results on Mondays only at YOUR Miss Florida USA Ezine, the only Ezine in the pageant world!

Grant H. Gravitt, Jr.

Executive Producer

Miss Florida USA & Miss Florida Teen USA

» 25 Days until Miss Florida USA!

PAGEANT NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

» Gold Coast model crowned the new Miss Universe Australia

Erin McNaught, a 24-year-old part-time model and bar worker from Surfers Paradise, won the coveted 2006 title from a host of aspiring beauty queens at Eden on the Park in Melbourne last night. Organisers said after parading on the catwalk, Ms McNaught, a brunette with olive skin, swayed the judges with her personality and "well constructed answers" to their questions.

A spokeswoman said Ms McNaught was a popular winner. Her first runner up was 22-year-old Victorian Emma Newcombe, of Colac. Leah Furhman finished third. "Erin is a very popular winner. She's a gorgeous girl," the spokeswoman said. "She spoke really well and performed beautifully, just the way she carried herself." The contests judges included former Olympic track star Cathy Freeman, fashion experts Wayne Cooper and Lillian Frank.

Erin McNaught on her way to the title last night. Judges liked

her "well constructed" answers.

» Miss Bolivia Universe 2007

Santa Cruz, Bolivia - Bolivia has three new beauty queens. At the Expocruz in the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra the new Miss Bolivia Universe and other representatives of the world pageants were chosen. Jessica Jordan proved to be the evenings winner and the first official Miss Universe's candidate for 2007.

Jessica Jordan, elect Miss Universal Boliva 2006

The evening was televised live throughout Bolivia

Miss Bolivia Universe 2007 is Jessica Jordan, Sta. Beni (center), Miss Bolivia World 2006 is Ana Maria Ortíz, Miss Beni (left), and Miss Bolivia International 2006 is Pamela Justiniano, Sta. Santa Cruz (right).

» The Scene- Scene Stealer

From Mahdia to LA: Former tomboy vows to do Guyana proud

By Oluatoyin Alleyne

Once upon a time she could have been considered a tomboy. At another time she called herself a scientist, which propelled her into the field of nursing. Today she is a beauty queen and plans to enjoy every moment of it.

This is the story of newly crowned Miss Guyana Universe, Alana Ernest who leaves Guyana on June 27 to take part in the Miss Universe contest on July 23 in Los Angeles, California.

For Alana, heading to the United States is a long way away from the country girl who grew up in Mahdia. She says all she can promise is that she will do her best.

When The Scene caught up with Alana she was still basking in having outshone ten other young ladies all of whom she described as being "intelligent and beautiful". Alana and her minders would not allow pictures to be taken of her during the interview, as she was not "looking like a queen" on that day. We beg to differ. Even without the makeup and the crown, she has the beauty queen look, what with her chic suit, long flowing hair, and slim stately body, what more can one ask for?

Alana is a mite too soft spoken. If she intends to be heard at the international pageant she needs to do something about this. Franchise holder, Odinga Lumumba has recognised this and plans to have her work on it.

The 23-year-old has numerous adjectives to describe herself, some of which are: friendly, dependable, adorable, hardworking and polite. At an early age she was packed off to the city where she attended the St Margaret's Primary School but after four years she returned to Mahdia before returning to the city to become a student at the Central High School.

After the secondary school examination she returned to her hometown and applied for several jobs gaining one as a teacher at the Mahdia Secondary School. But even as she taught the children she knew her calling was nursing and was just waiting for the opportunity to skip professions. And that's what she did one year later when she was accepted at the New Amsterdam Nursing School last November.

It may seem a little strange that Alana is now a beauty queen when one considers her childhood. But she revealed that she did a little bit of modelling recently and as a child, like most girls, she and her older sister held mock pageants and crowned each other with paper crowns. And as she got older and it became obvious that she would have a body most women would envy, her sister saw the potential in her and wrangled a promise out of her that she would one day enter a national pageant.

"My sister always reminded me and I remembered, so one day when someone approached me at the school and told me to enter the Miss Guyana Universe pageant, I said no at first but then I remembered the promise to my sister," she said. Four days after the crowning when The Scene caught up with her she was still feeling, "great, ecstatic and excited."

She would probably still have that feeling when she flies out to the US later this month, but before that she would be spending some time with international designer Roger Gary and she would be working on that voice with someone else, Lumumba says. Not much work needs to be done on his queen to make her ready for Miss Universe. He says she already has the poise, grace and charm - what it takes to be a queen.

MISS FL USA NEWS!

» Miss Florida USA 2008 Preliminary Pageant Dates Announced!

Clayton Manson the new regional Pageant director for the Florida Panhandle is please to announce the preliminary pageants for 2007

Miss Northwest Florida USA and Miss Northwest Florida Teen USA

November 12^th 2006

Miss Pensacola USA and Miss Pensacola Teen USA

January 28^th 2007

Miss Escambia USA and Miss Escambia Teen USA

April 22^nd2007

Pensacola Pageant Productions is excited about becoming and elite Pageant experience for all those who participate. You may visit our web site at www.MissescambiaUSA.com and check out our latest pageant.

Here at Pensacola Pageant Productions, we believe in getting our winners involved in the community as well as reaching out to others and becoming role models. Come be apart of the elite pageant experience with Pensacola Pageant Productions in the preliminary season of 2008.

» It’s Never Too Hot For Fashion Charity Fashion Show:

One of the most fun events of the year is The Broward Outreach Centers “Too Hot For Fashion” Charity Event this upcoming Thursday night June 22^nd. The Hollywood Beach Culture and Community Center (1301 South Ocean Drive) plays host to this highlight of the Hollywood Cultural Calendar for the fifth year.

Located right on Hollywood Beach this event is open to the public and will ensure you mingle with the dignitaries of our host city. Last year the fashion show and silent auction raised over $30,000.00 for the homeless assistance of Broward County. For information or reservations call 954 923-3373 or order tickets online at www.browardoutreachcenter.com as this event is sure to sell out

» Re-Shoot Day on June 23^rd

If you haven’t had the opportunity to attend a pretape session this year, don’t wait for registration Tuesday pageant week to go in front of the cameras. Friday June 23^rd is the final opportunity to be a part of the prize tape as well as other fun opportunities to have more camera time during the televised special. The day features the conclusion of the Hollywood Lifestyle segments as well as a chance to model in this year’s Regalia Fine Apparel prize tape.

As always throughout the pretape sessions we will shoot delegate opening introductions as well as the final delegates for the Swimsuit Montage. The day begins at 8:00am at The Hollywood Production Center. Then it’s all aboard the Holly Trolley for our first destination The Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa. Regalia and Carroll’s Jewelers prizes as highlight the first location of the day with what promises to be some beautiful video.

After lunch at Pollo Tropical it’s off to The Hollywood Beach Broadwalk for a session of roller blading and bicycling. Then it’s the on-camera introductions and swimsuits right on the beach The day concludes with some final stand-ups in Downtown Hollywood. As always look for pictures next week only at www.missfloridausa.com.

» 2007 Miss Florida USA Preliminary Season Schedule

UPDATED 6/8/06

June 22 Too Hot for Fashion – Hollywood Beach Community Center

June 23 Re-shoot Day

July 11: Miss Florida USA Registration Day

July 12 Miss Florida USA Fun Night

July 13 Miss Florida USA Preliminary Interviews

July 14: Miss Florida USA Preliminary Night

July 15: Miss Florida USA Finals & Telecast

» Check Out the complete MISS USA 2007 Reports!

Diamond In The Rough - Japan's Akita Prefecture

If you have the time and the means, we highly suggest a trip to Japan. Forget flashy Tokyo with its love hotels, neon playgrounds and high-end boutiques. Instead, check out the remote and beautiful Akita prefecture. It might be a trip of a lifetime.

Located in the northwest portion of Japan's Tohoku region, Akita is breathtaking and you're just going to have to see it to believe it. With its coastline location, one can dive into the ocean or head off into the dense forest of trees where cedars grow over 58 meters tall and leaves are so large that they're ready-made umbrellas. Tourists tend to rave about two things: one - water so crystal clear it'll remind you of the Caribbean; and two - the Tamagawa Onsen hot spring, which is one of Japan's best. Akita will certainly make you appreciate natural beauty. Then again, the town also possess some astounding man-made and almost mystical architecture, such as the Odate Jukai Dome - a stadium made of cypress, which glows, yellow and warm come nightfall. Get firmly ensconced in this town's vibe of total relaxation by staying at the Towada Prince Hotel, which is lined with so many windows you won't miss nary a sunset. Don't worry. If you get desperate for some partying or shopping the center of Akita can provide you a small dose of Western reality. However, if that's what you crave, just go to Tokyo. This oasis is focused on the natural, not the commercial.

All four seasons in Akita are magical with thick snow covering the trees in winter and dense greenery and amazing mountain ranges in the summer. Figure out how to take two weeks off. It'll be worth it.

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