There's a sweet spot in Upstate New York somewhere North of New York City's dog-eat-dog hyper Capitalism and the backwoods feel of the upper part of the state where it's not unusual to see Confederate flags flying. It's a vibe that is a bit urbane but not too much and organically friendly. Kindred spirits sport battle scars for having to live among intolerance that for the most part is invisible in the city. The pockets of culture are tended carefully like little gardens and are under threat from modern forms of anonymous commerce, neglect and the fragility of small business ownership. Browsing bookstores that look from the outside a little like the illustrations in children's books, you want to embrace the experience. When I met the woman at the Farmer's Market selling organic arugula and cilantro she looked me in the eye and repeated my name and the town I was from in a way that suggested she had created a little index card in her mind for me.