euphoria 2011 Press Reception #euphoriagreenville

After a short 90 minute flight from NYC, I found myself at euphoria 2011 a world class music, food and wine event in Greenville, South Carolina.

As we made the brief trip from the airport to the Hyatt, I chatted with Carliss, my volunteer driver about his forty five years living in Greenville. I quickly realized that I was in a special place. His parting words as he handed me my bag at the hotel:  "You may not want to go back".  I've been here less that 24 hours, and he may be on to something.


My first impression:  Greenville feels intimate, exclusive and unique. Every person that I've met, from locals to Yankee imports have shown that "Southern Hospitality" is alive and well in Greenville.  It is the North American Home to BMW (an event sponsor - I am going to their test track this afternoon) and has a wealth of local produce (I'll be at the Farmers Market on Saturday) and artisan producers (Firefly Bourbon Sweet Tea may be the death of me).

The Media Pool for euphoria is being arranged, wrangled and kept organized by Taryn Scher's TK Public Relations. We've been in e-mail communication since July; and now, the event is here.  My credentials, agenda and overstuffed "Swag Bag" were waiting for me at the front desk when I checked in.  It is going to be an exciting weekend.   At the reception, I met Taryn for the first time, and Gina Boulware from Table 301 (creators of euphoria).

dessert sushi

NC trout roulade with pecan & cranberries
with a blueberry reduction

Our Press Reception on Thursday from 5:30 - 6:45, was a fantastic welcome and beautiful display of Southern Fusion Food, catered by the Hyatt.  Have you ever tried dessert sushi? Well, I have.

local sweet corn, asparagus and
sweet potato salad with
sweet vidalia onion vinaigrette

We mingled -  bloggers, print journalists and some euphoria administration.  My companions for the evening were Lain Bradford, wine, beer and liquor reviewer for The State, South Carolina's largest daily newspaper, and Jodie Jacobs, a journalist at the Chicago Tribune.



Gina then guided us to the shuttle bus, and gave us a brief tour of Greenville as we made our way to the first official euphoria event of 2011:  Songwriter's Recipe: songs and stories from euphoria unplugged.

A slideshow from the Reception: