my state of euphoria

A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step - or should a say, the first mile begins in a little green jeep heading north on I-85 toward Greenville.

A night at The Bohemian with jazz trumpeter Mark Rapp.

Euphoria 2012. The name says it all. You know the moment your mind and mouth fuse with that first bite of chocolate, how your eyes close and the world slows down to a crawl, and an "ah" escapes. I have experienced a four-day continuous "ah".

Euphoria Greenville is the brainchild of Edwin McCain, singer, songwriter and hometown boy. In its 7th year, its gets better and better, adding more and more events to drive some four-or-five thousand visitors to the city. Trust me, there's no persuasion needed to encourage attendance. Calendars are marked a year in advance, and by the last event of the weekend, somber faces replace the electric smiles simply because the love fest is over and the wait begins for next year.

Edwin McCain lights up the stage on Friday night

Everyone involved, from the chefs to the mixologists to the attendees, are in the middle of a red-hot love affair with Greenville. For a moment, forget the event; it's the allure of Main Street showcasing over 100 exclusive restaurants plus a variety of stops including a cupcake heaven, a beer distillery and the local favorite pine-floored Mast General Store. There's the Liberty Bridge, the Andrew Wyeth collection at the Greenville County Museum of Art, Falls Park and a few miles up the road, Perdue's Fruit Farm where the varieties of fresh fruits and homemade creations are only limited by your imagination.

My favorite moments and tastes? Soby's Crab Cakes at the Jazz Sunday Brunch. Row Eleven's Stratton Lummis "The Riddler" Lot 2 at the Saturday Breakwater hosted dinner. Virginia ham carved by Restaurant Eugene (Atlanta) executive chef Linton Hopkins (named best chef in the Southeast 2012). Experiencing jazz trumpeter Mark Rapp, live! The soulful sounds of Edwin McCain and tearing up to "Walk with me." Meeting the real Ale Sharpton! Evan Williams bourbon. Endless Sweetwater. Goat Cheese Panna Cotta by Chef David Guas of Bayou Bakery in Arlington, Va. My "ahs" continue four days later...

Taste of the South at the Wyche Pavilion in downtown along the Reedy River.

Enjoy these photos and mark your calender for next year's event: September 26-29. It's so close, I can taste it . . . :)

Young Tiller takes the stage with daddy.

Atlanta's Ale Sharpton leads the beer panel at the Jazz Brunch.

Sunday Supper at the Wyche Pavilion

Decor by Epting Events, Athens, Ga.

A honey tasting at the Jazz Brunch.

Mark Rapp and Didgeridoo at The Bohemian Cafe.

Edwin McCain at The Peace Center.

A stroll down Main Street, Greenville.

Mark Rapp high-fives his youngest groupie.

Judges jump in at the Culinary Cook-Off.

Nose Dive chef Joey Pearson.

The finale at Sunday Supper.