Miss Universe 2011 Preview

It is that time of year again - for my favorite of all favorite beauty pageants - Miss Universe. For the second year in a row, I visited the wonderful website for Miss Universe and did my research on each contestant through the preliminary rounds and based on that, interviews, and their glam shots and evening gown, I have selected MY Top 15. Of course, it is yet again a very competitive year - so many beautiful women in the world, and all with such talent. I can't wait for Monday! The telecast airs live on NBC at 9PM from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Let's see how many of my Top 15 make the cut.

Below you will find my Top 15 IN ORDER of how I scored them. Photos are each of the contestants official glam shot from world renowned photographer Fedil Berisha - who, again, did an exquisite job.

Enjoy the pageant and may the best girl win!

MY TOP 15 (in order by rank)

China - Luo Zilin

USA - Alyssa Campanella

Honduras - Keilyn Gomez

Puerto Rico - Viviana Ortiz

Colombia - Catalina Robayo

Singapore - Valerie Shu Xian Lim

Georgia - Eka Gurtskaia

Australia - Scherri-lee Biggs

Denmark - Sandra Amer

Panama - Sheldry Saez

Japan - Maria Kamiyama

Costa Rica - Johanna Solano

Argentina - Natalie Rodriguez

Russia - Natalia Gantimurova

Poland - Rozalia Mancewicz

ALL PHOTO CREDIT TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER, Fedil Berisha

Miss USA 2011 Preview and My Personal Picks

Last year I blogged live during the Miss Universe Pageant, my preview to that contest was (and still remains) my most popular post ever on my blog. So, I thought I would at least do a preview for this year's Miss USA Pageant. I will not be blogging during the telecast, due to some other projects I am up to my ears in. That being said, it was a pleasure to take a look at all of the contestants and it will be an evening full of glamour for sure. Of course, I have my favorites. My top 15 is listed here in order from my most favorite on down.

Also, for the first time this year you can help select a semi-finalist by voting. Visit the Miss Universe/USA website to Vote for your favorites and for the full Miss USA experience, where you can see interviews with contestants, bios, photos and so much more. I think Donald Trump and his organization does a fabulous job with this website. It is top notch for pageant fans. Enjoy & May the best woman win - goodness knows there are plenty to choose from.

Here is my Top 15, ranked in order of my most favorite (the one who impressed me the most) and on down. Any of them would be a great representative at Miss Universe. I fell in love with my first five almost immediately - they popped right out from the computer screen. For the remaining ten, I had to do a bit of viewing...lol. This was fun - I can't wait to see how many of my top 15 actually move forward, and if one becomes the night's eventual winner. Do this exercise too, it will make your pageant experience all the more intriguing.

Miss USA 2010 Rima Fakih passes on the crown at the Miss USA 2011 Pageant - Live from Las Vegas on NBC @ 9pm/ET with your hosts Giuliana Rancic and Andy Cohen.

NOTE: ALL PHOTOS by the wonderful, world renowned photographer Fadil Berisha, who has transformed the image of the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageantry systems image since he took over as their official photographer in 2002. The photos I post here are from his glamshots of the contestants; all credit to the photographer's brilliance once again kicking it up a notch for us pageant fans and aficionados. See more of his amazing and iconic work at his website.

My Top 15 (Ranked)

1. Miss Florida - Lissette Garcia

2. Miss Idaho - Erza Haliti

3. Miss Colorado - Blair Adair Griffith

4. Miss California - Alyssa Campanella

5. Miss Tennessee - Ashley Elizabeth Durham

6. Miss Illinois - Angela Sparrow

7. Miss Texas - Ana Christina Rodriguez

8. Miss District of Columbia - Heather Danielle Swann

9. Miss Maine - Ashley-Lyn Marble

10. Miss Arizona - Brittany Dawn Brannon

11. Miss Louisiana - Page Pennock

12. Miss Delaware - Katie Hanson

13. Miss Kentucky - Kia Ben-et Hampton

14. Miss Hawaii - Angela Byrd

15. Miss North Carolina - Brittany Leigh York

Top 10 Blog Posts and Top Five Countries Viewing My Blog - February 2011

My Miss Universe preview from last year tops this chart for the second month in a row - it has actually remained at the top since it first posted. Nothing I have posted since has struck a chord. In the upcoming weeks I will also finally be posting all of my videos here on this blog. My Grammy picks and predictions served me well also. Germany topped my list of countries viewing this blog outside the U.S. Pictured is the famous clocktower in downtown Munich (credit to the photographer). Thank you to my international audience. It always intrigues me to hear from you all.

Top 10 Blog Posts - February 2011

1. Miss Universe 2010 Preview

2. Brava Diva (Photography Archives #009)

3. GRAMMY WATCH - Children's, Spoken Word & Comedy Ca...

4. GRAMMY WATCH - Music Video Categories - Prediction...

5. Photography by Cassone Category Nominations for 20...

6. GRAMMY WATCH - Dance and Traditional Pop Music Cat...

7. GRAMMY Watch - Pop Music Categories - Picks & Pred...

8. D.R.A.G.: Divas Really Are Grand (Archives - Photo...

9. GRAMMY WATCH - Best Classical Crossover Album - Pi...

10. GRAMMY WATCH: Gospel Categories - Picks & Predicti...

Top 5 Countries (outside the U.S. visiting my blog)

1. Germany

2. United Kingdom

3. Canada

4. France

5. Denmark

Miss Universe 2010

Well... Who am I? LOL.

Congratulations to Miss Mexico Jinena Navarette. When I did all of my preliminary 'judging' last night reviewing all of the materials - she was on the radar, so I am not too disappointed. I am a bit disappointed in Miss Philippines...the girl just didn't answer the question and it cost her dearly. My pick was Jamaica because I thought she was the most steady and consistent throughout, but I am just an opinion.

The official results are in...

4th Runner Up: Miss Philippines - Venus Raj

3rd Runner Up: Miss Ukraine - Anna Poslavska

2nd Runner Up: Miss Australia - Jesinta Campbell

1st Runner Up: Miss Jamaica - Yendi Phillips

MISS UNIVERSE 2010: Miss Mexico - Jinena Navarette

Congrats to all the contestants, Donald Trump and the Miss Universe organization... I swear it is the best pageant of its kind out there.

I had fun doing this real time report for my little readership.

Whew! That was work...LOL.

Pictured: Miss Universe 2010 - Jinena Navarette (Mexico)

CREDIT TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER.

Top Five, Final Question and My Pick - Miss Universe 2010 Coverage

Okay...

Very excited!

Top five are:

Miss Mexico - Jinena Navarette

Miss Australia - Jesinta Campbell

Miss Jamaica - Yendi Phillips

Miss Ukraine - Anna Poslavska

Miss Philippines - Venus Raj

Hmmm...some of them disappointed me in in the final question by not answering the question... it happens, Venus.

That being said:

Here are MY final picks...

My 4th Runner Up: Miss Mexico - Jinena Navarette

My 3rd Runner Up: Miss Ukraine - Anna Poslavska

My 2nd Runner Up: Miss Australia - Jesinta Campbell

My 1st Runner Up: Miss Philippines - Venus Raj

My Miss Universe: Miss Jamaica - Yendi Phillips

I was really pulling for Miss Philippines, but she really didn't answer her question to my personal liking - trust me, in 22 years you done did at least one thing negative! LOL. Ye that is all perfect. I hope she was just nervous, for her sake. Yendi was the most consistent throughout and just fabulous.

We shall see.

This was fun.

I will wrap up tonight's coverage in a bit with the actual results.

Pictured: Yendi Phillips, Miss Jamaica (my pick for Miss Universe 2010)

CREDIT TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER.

Top 15 and Swimsuit Competition - Miss Universe 2010 Coverage

The top 15, but here goes:

Miss Puerto Rico - Mariana Paola Vicente

Miss Ukraine - Anna Poslavska

Miss Mexico - Jimena Navarette

Miss Belgium - Cilou Annys

Miss Ireland - Rozanna Purcell

Miss South Africa - Nicole Flint

Miss France - Malika Menard

Miss Australia - Jesinta Campbell

Miss Jamaica - Yendi Phillips

Miss Russia - Irina Antonenko

Miss Albania - Angela Martini

Miss Colombia - Natalia Navarro

Miss Guatemala - Jessica Torres

Miss Czech Republic - Jitka Valkova

and Miss Philippines - Venus Raj

These contestants make up the top 15 and in Swimsuit Competition my top faves were: Jamaica; Mexico; Philippines; Ireland and Puerto Rico (in that order)

and overall MY top five thus far in the competition are: Jamaica; Philippines; Mexico; Puerto Rico and Russia (in that order so far)

Pictured: Yendi Phillips, Miss Jamaica

CREDIT TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER.