a black berry (brand name) is a hand held computer, with a built in modem. it can 'function' like a palm or like a cell phone or a beeper ...
its slightly larger than a palm, (it has a small but usable keyboard too)
most commonly used to get email remotely (and at this point, really 'old technology'..)

pashima's are silk/cashmire shawls that were the rage 5 years ago in metro areas. now selling for under $100 (they used to cost $300 and up) See the last page few pages of NY Times Magazine section for ads... they used to be hard to find, now, they are mass marketed... like the von dutch caps, or other 'trends'.

i remember a funny cartoon from the NewYorker-- a times square store (remnents of the old X rated Video sign in evidence) is being renovated (at that time, into a "homemade cookie store") and passers by comment on the change in the neighborhood, (not entirely sure another homemade cookie store is an improvement!)

cookie stores came and went, and so did the home made pretzel stores, and (some) coffee (fancy ones) shops.

Knitting is hot now in NY (and in US in general) 5 years from now, half of the 'trendy' new stores will be gone, and replaced with...? (you could be rich if you know the answer!)


my other obsession