The Meatpacking District in New York is full of beautiful Manhattanites, working professionals, and stylish tourists who are staying at the nearby Gansevoort Hotel and the Standard. So when you see a tall man in a cowboy hat with a plaid cowboy shirt strolling through, you do a double take. The man is Chuck Miller, with wisps of white hair peeking out from under his hat and the deepest of blue eyes, behind which lies a history of tradition and pride.

We visited Josh Vogel of Blackcreek Mercantile & Trading Co. in late 2010 and kick started this year with a feature on the wood sculptor based in Kingston, New York.

Inside Penn Station, after cavorting through the many throngs of travelers, I met up with some friends to board the Acela train headed for Boston, Mass., for a stay at the unique Ames Hotel. I had never been a tourist in Boston, and a whirlwind 36-hours in a new city coupled with a stay in a luxury hotel seemed like an ideal mid-week escape.