Yes, you can buy it: Rejoice in the recession, say street vendors in New York, where Barack Obama's ascension has spread a few smiles across otherwise bleak streets. In Harlem, stalls that once sold perfume and Bob Marley T-shirts now offer scores of presidential products.
One of the best is available online to Irish buyers. It’s a giant image of the man of the moment, created from 1,000 front pages from November 5th, 2008. Most headlines were variations on “Yes we did”, “Change” or the simple “Obama!”. The Irish Times is in the third row: “Tide in key US states runs in Obama’s favour.” From www.obamagiftdirect.com, $14.99 (€11.80) plus PP.
Still in the Big Apple: New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority has something that is just the ticket for subway survivors: handsome cufflinks and pendants made by Manhattan designer Jen Pringle from glass, resins and recycled maps of the city’s huge subway system. Bring them back home and wear them on Irish mass transit: there’ll be plenty of time to show them off while walking between the red and green Luas lines or standing on the Dart platform as you wait 27 minutes for the arrival of the next green rocket. Cufflinks are $70 (€55), pendants are $35 (€28) from www.transitmuseum store.com.
Flylite’s light travel rucksacks pack flat to stow inside your suitcase, ready to be pulled out if you return with more stuff than you left with. The UK firm’s new backpack has external insulated pockets to keep food and drinks cold, in case you prefer to pass on the novelty cuisine served on the plane. £20 (€22.30), including PP, from www.flylite.uk.com.