Miss Empire Star 2014: Miss New York Day 1 - Photo Dump & Quick Updates!

Hello everyone! Well, Miss New York Week 2014 has officially kicked off! Today was busy, but so much fun. We were told to arrive in outfits that were "hot and funky," and all of the girls looked fantastic. On the schedule was a busy day in NYC. First, we had lunch at the Common's Cafe on Staten Island. Owned by the Nicotra's, the restaurant features tasty treats (I had a black bean burger...YUM!) and 100% of the proceeds are donated to charity. We stopped by City Hall and had the chance to tour the building before meeting Mayor De Blasio. Next, we headed uptown to the Pink & Pepper showroom. They had their Fall 2014 collection on display, and it was so fun to get a sneak peek at the styles to come. Finally, we finished the day with dinner at the American Girl Place. Miss New York 2014, Amanda Mason, and her mom, Wanda, had arranged for the American Girl Cafe to be open after hours so they could host all of the contestants for a lovely meal. The food was delicious, and it was so sweet to run into girls who were shopping who wanted to take pictures with the "princesses." Speaking of running into people who were interested in the contestants--you should have seen the looks we got as we traveled through the city! I would think that nothing made New Yorkers think twice, but I was wrong.

Tomorrow kicks off the first of many rehearsals. I am really looking forward to learning the production numbers and seeing the Miss New York show begin to take shape. I'll be heading to bed soon, but am leaving with with some great shots from the day. Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with me and my fellow contestants on this busy week!

Staten Island Advance Links:

Mayor Bill de Blasio meets with Miss New York contestants at City Hall

Miss New York contestants take a lunch break at Commons Cafe