Vintage Vanessa

When the lights go out in Georgia, Vanessa Hoelsher is there to make sure you don't grow thirsty. The 23-year-old special-events coordinator is often out on the town in her home of Atlanta, promoting her company's wines and spirits. "If there's anything going on in Georgia with our liquor brands--whether it's Usher's birthday party or whatever--I'm kind of the go-to person," she says. It's not hard to understand why she gravitated to this line of work. Vanessa is direct and approachable as well as beautiful, an intoxicating Southern belle who--here's a shockeroo--lacks a Southern accent. "My family comes from Ohio, which is probably why I didn't pick up the accent," she explains. The Buckeye descendant remains tight with her family. "I have three brothers, and one of them is my twin. You'd think I would have been a tomboy, but I've always been feminine and girlie. I did get a thicker skin from having all those boys in the house. I'm not easily offended. I'm the first one to laugh at myself."

Miss September didn't have much modeling experience before sending her pictures to Playboy, but she did pose for a shock jock's billboard in Atlanta. "The ad was a satire that read morning domination," she says with more than a flash of naughtiness in her eye. "I wore a black leather dress and had a whip. I wasn't dealing with professional photographers, so I had to walk wrapped in a station banner past all these sales reps to do the shoot in a conference room." That didn't make her feel self-conscious, nor does posing nude. Indeed, Vanessa is accustomed to being looked at. "I cannot go into a Wal-Mart without getting hit on," she says. "I'll look so bad--yoga pants, no makeup, straight from the gym--and guys will follow me around and try to talk to me." Vanessa doesn't think this is an altogether bad thing. "I'm definitely not a first-move kind of girl. I like it when a guy has the nerve to ask a girl out on a date instead of dropping a cheesy line. Still, the Wal-Mart thing weirds me out." So what is her type? "I like rugged guys. I don't like dating men prettier than I am or men who take longer to get ready than I do. I dated this football player who was metro and loved shoes and shopping--there's something going on there. My friends tease me and say, 'You just like these macho, meathead guys.' Every time some big guy walks by, they say, 'There's your new boyfriend, Vanessa.' I can't help it."

Since her job requires her to be an enthusiastic socializer, Vanessa cherishes low-key nights at home with her roommate, two cats and the latest biography. And while she's game for exciting opportunities that may come her way, she won't soon be leaving on that mid-night train from Georgia. "I like Atlanta and would not drop everything to move to L.A.," she says with a smile. "I'm not going to roll the dice and just move somewhere to see what happens."

Playmate Data Sheet

Name: Vanessa Hoelsher

Bust: 36D

Waist: 25

Hips: 36

Height: 5'6?

Weight: 120

Birth Date: Jan. 19, 1982

Birthplace: Atlanta, GA

Ambitions: I want to model & promote for Playboy, further my career in wines & spirits and live a substantial life driven by purpose.

Turn-ons: Athletic men, confidence (Not cockiness!), humility, Southern gentlemen & guys who can fix things around the house.

Turnoffs: Selfishness, negativity, cell phones, unpatriotic Americans and people who complain about their lives but do nothing to change them.

My Charity work for animals: Is very important to me.

Old soul or young at heart: I have a very old soul.

Favorite outdoor activities: Going to football games (Go, Falcons!), going to the lake, hanging out poolside with the girls.

The Most romantic cities: If you are with the right person, anywhere can be romantic. But Portofino, Italy and Tahiti seem pretty romantic to me.

See more of Miss September at cyber.playboy.com.