The Beginning of the End

At least, that's what people have been calling it. This past weekend was Contestant Forum, which included orientation for State Week, a fun project for the contestants, and a fashion show gala. I had been out of commission all of last week with bronchitis and an ear infection, but the antibiotics had kicked in enough that I was functional and vertical for the weekend.

It's definitely different to be on this side of things, as Miss Minnesota, looking back on my year and trying to remember the things going through my head at this time last year. I loved being able to spend time with this year's contestants. I am so excited for each one of them and the opportunities they will experience over the next couple months as they prepare for Miss MN week. I'm also excited for them as a group - State Week is going to be so much fun! Our pageant will be held at a new and glorious facility - the Eden Prairie Center for the Performing Arts, and our new host hotel - Holiday Inn Select in Bloomington - has been fantastic for all the events thus far.

For everyone who wants to be a part of State Week, don't forget to turn in your registrations for the Twins Game, the Golf Tournament, and the Saturday Brunch. All registration forms are available on the official Miss Minnesota website.

Some photos from the weekend:

The contestants participated in a Project Runway-inspired event. Their challenge: create a cocktail dress from a box filled with miscellaneous materials.
*I know there are more pictures of the finished products - email me at missmn06@gmail.com if you have any, and I'll post them!*

At the fashion show, I modeled gowns from Isabella Collections in Lakeville and Dorothy Benham Bridal in Richfield (featuring Rodney Alfred and Jovani). This red number from Isabella's was created by the same man who designs dresses for Deal or No Deal!

The people who make it all happen: David, Barb, Jackie, Rod, Paula, Julie, and Jennifer... the Executive State Board

The lovely ladies competing for the crown!
front: Mackenzie, Danielle, Tina, Amanda, Lacey, Liz, Jennifer, and Meghan
back: Colleen, Cori, me, Cindy, Kasandra, and Lauren
not pictured: Kathryn (had to catch a flight) and Karissa (couldn't make it on Sunday morning)

Starting mid-May, I'll be posting Q&A's with each contestant, so if there's anything YOU want to know about THEM, let me know! Post a comment (you can even do it anonymously) or send me an email (missmn06@gmail.com). Let's make this interactive!

'Til next time...

Event Alert - Young Audiences of MN

Young Audiences of Minnesota is a 501(c)3 non-profit whose mission is to "Inspire, Empower, and Unite Children and Communities through Education, Arts, and Culture." Their annual dinner-and-show gala will be held on Friday, May 11, and I will be the guest emcee for the evening.

Your ticket includes:
-Dinner and silent auction at the Graves 601 Hotel in Minneapolis
-Show at the Orpheum Theatre - "All Shook Up"

Proceeds from the event go towards programming for Young Audiences events - workshops and residencies much like the ones I've been giving as Miss Minnesota.

This is a perfect way to celebrate a special occasion - birthday, anniversary, promotion... or could be a great evening out with a group of friends.

Sponsor a table of 8 for $5,000 and receive:
-8 tickets to the show with superb seating
-Pre-theater cocktail reception and dinner for 8
-Recognition as a sponsor on the evening's program, Young Audiences' website, and in the YA catalog and newsletter
-$500 worth of programming at a location of your choice
-Tax deduction of $3,700

Individual tickets are available for $250 each.

Call 651-292-3399 to reserve your tickets today!

I'll be participating in a few Young Audiences events in Lakeville over the next few weeks, and I look forward to sharing photos and stories of what this organization is doing in Minnesota's communities!

Oh, Say, Can You... (what noise do timberwolves make?)

Tonight, I performed the National Anthem at the Timberwolves vs. Cavaliers game at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

That's me, center court... if you squint...

The Jumbotron makes things a little easier...

with Crunch, the team mascot

I wore my Rodney Alfred cocktail dress that I had worn for On-Stage Question at Miss America - blue is one of my favorite colors, and it's a Timberwolves color too! Rod, David, Barb, Jackie, Kevin, and my Mom & Dad and cousins Richard and Paul joined me for the game. The Wolves lost, but they were up against some pretty stellar talent.

Fun story: as I was warming up backstage (or back-court, or whatever it's called), the Cavaliers players were walking by... every one of them stopped for a double-take, and one held up his arms as if he were playing a violin/viola. I was later informed by the intern (thanks for everything, Jackie!) that it was LeBron James. The superstar.

Oh, and it's snowing. I always get fooled into believing April actually means spring or summer... *sigh*

A Long-Overdue Update

Greetings, one and all. I know it feels like forever since my last post, and two months IS a pretty significant chunk of time, so first of all... my apologies. I haven't been trying to keep you out of the loop! Rather, February was a relatively slow (and unphotographed) month, and March was the busiest of any I've experienced throughout my entire year.

My time as Miss Minnesota can be divided into 4 sections: 1) post-MissMN insanity, 2) Miss America prep, 3) post-Miss America recovery, and 4) pre-MissMN windup. The work I've done with my platform has been the one constant throughout every segment, though the number and frequency of appearances has definitely varied from month to month. With Contestant Forum next weekend, we're cruising right along into section 4 of my year, which seems hard to believe!

This post, however, is to give a recap of the past two months. Without further ado...

FEBRUARY
8 - Read-a-thon (Burroughs Elementary School, Minneapolis): I read Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin, M is for Music, and The Jazz Men to a class of 5th-graders
9 - Pay it Forward (Medina): I was a celebrity dealer for this casino night fundraiser to support breast cancer patients and families. Assigned to Baccarat, I felt a little unsure at first, but I caught on quickly and had a great time - and the event raised over $80,000!
10 - Miss Coon Rapids/Miss Anoka County Pageant (Coon Rapids): Congratulations to Colleen Meyer, the new Miss Anoka County, and Cori Shellum, the new Miss Coon Rapids!
16 - Rodney Alfred Photo Shoot (St. Louis Park): Love these gowns. Seriously.
17 - Minnesota Music Educators Association Midwinter Clinic (Minneapolis): I presented at the Advocacy breakout session.
22 - Chippewa Middle School (Mounds View school district): A day of presentations and workshops with all the orchestra students, including some visiting elementary schoolers. I was so impressed with Connie Aiken, the orchestra teacher - she teaches with such joy!
23-24 - Miss Twin Cities Pageant (White Bear Lake): Congratulations to Cindy Neseth, the new Miss Twin Cities!

MARCH
1-3 - Robbinsdale Residency (Robbinsdale school district): Worked with students at Cooper and Armstrong High Schools and performed a solo at the district Spring Festival.
3-4 - Minneapolis Home & Garden Show (Minneapolis): I assisted at the S&S Tree & Horticulture Specialist booth - my dad is one of the senior certified arborists. (He's a tree doctor.)
5-7 - Mounds View Residency (Mounds View school district): Visited orchestra students at Edgewood Middle School, Irondale High School, and Valentine Hills Middle School; also gave two school assemblies at Pinewood Elementary.
6-7 - Friendly Hills/Heritage Middle School (South St. Paul): I was a guest adjudicator for two middle school orchestras.
8 - Minnesota Arts Advocacy Day (St. Paul): 500 Arts Advocates descended upon the State Capitol to meet with our elected officials and ask for increased funding for the Arts.
- Lake Conference Arts Festival (Bloomington): I performed "lobby music" during a gallery showing of top high school artists from the Lake Conference
10 - Minnesota's Junior Miss Program (Apple Valley): I was Minnesota's Junior Miss in 2001, and it's a treat to return to the program every year as special entertainment. Congratulations to Nora Ali, Minnesota's Junior Miss 2007!
11-13 - National Arts Advocacy Day (Washington, DC): A team of 14 Minnesotans ventured to DC to ask our elected officials at the national level for their support of the arts. This includes NEA funding, arts in education programs, charitable contribution laws for artists, and the position of the arts in No Child Left Behind. I also got to see my fellow Mu contestant - Kate Michael, Miss DC. It was fantastic to catch up with her!
13 - Mounds View Concert (The Great Hall at Bethel University, Arden Hills): My mom picked me up from the airport as I flew in from DC and drove me straight to this performance, which went off without a hitch! Hallelujah for clear weather and no traffic!
14 - State Capitol (St. Paul): I met with Representative Mark Buesgens, who is the Academic Director for the Saint Paul Conservatory, a charter high school with a strong emphasis on the arts. Rep. Buesgens is looking into starting a similar program in an elementary school setting south of the river.
16 - My dad got laser surgery on his eyes! Edina Eye Physicians and Surgeons is a fantastic Miss Minnesota sponsor, and after seeing how my new vision has changed my life, my dad decided to take the plunge. He's now seeing better than he did with his glasses or contacts!
18 - Dakota Valley Symphony (Lakeville): I performed Telemann's Viola Concerto with the DVS, and was pleased to see so many students I had worked with at various schools attending the concert!
20-24 - Colburn Conservatory Audition (Los Angeles, CA): Since I'll be crowning a new Miss Minnesota in just over 2 months, it's time for me to be making some preparations for life after the crown... I've wanted to attend Colburn for a few years, and I've recently received official word that I've been accepted into their Professional Studies Certificate program. California, here I come! Also, I met with the Educational Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic (I had met her at National Arts Advocacy Day) and got a tour of the beautiful Disney Concert Hall (which is conveniently right across the street from Colburn). And... I got to hang out with my brother and sister - so excited to live near them again!
24-25 - Great River Strings (Crosby-Aitkin): This was such an amazing weekend, I don't really have adequate words to describe it. This small community of 5,000 in north central Minnesota has a civic orchestra with over two doezn performers! We gave two performances (I performed solo, solo with orchestra, and as a member of the viola section) to two amazingly appreciative audiences. Lynn Foote was the coordinator of this event, Rich Aulie conducts the orchestra, and the Bast family hosted me for the weekend - to you and everyone else who made me feel welcome, thank you. It was a blessing to be a part of your community for a weekend!
27 - Miss Minnesota Board Meeting (Minneapolis): We're putting finishing touches on plans for Contestant Forum - it's going to be fun!
29 - Young Audiences of Minnesota (St. Paul): I'll be the celebrity emcee for an upcoming event in May, so I met with the Executive Director of the program and the chairperson for the benefit. More on this in a separate post.

And just like that, it's April!

Thanks for your patience in waiting for updates (and for your diligence if you've actually gotten to the bottom of this post!). I will be blogging at least weekly from now on, and as the Miss Minnesota Pageant approaches, I'll be showcasing each one of the fantastic contestants competing for the crown and the job of Miss Minnesota 2007.

Love to all -
Nicole