Its my birthday on Wednesday – my 30th to be precise!!

This week’s gifts are NYC inspired because if we weren’t undertaking this new life adventure I would be in NYC celebrating with my best friend…

Weekend: a week of all things NYC would not be complete without a little Mad Men…

• Dyna Moe’s Mad Men: The Illustrated World

• Season One -Zippo Lighter Case Limited Edition

• Janie Bryant and Monica Corcoran Harel’s The Fashion File: Advice, Tips, and Inspiration from the Costume Designer of Mad Men

Friday: I really enjoyed visiting the High Line (in the meatpacking district) when I was last in NYC. They have done such a fabulous job of turning the highline into a gorgeous elevated public park. I know my dad would love it (he is a landscape gardner) but I don’t know it he will ever get to NYC, so I bought him a book all about designing the high line.

Thursday: I think this looks pretty cool – the real Big Apple MacBook vinyl decal by Bengal Works…

Wednesday: For ALL things NYC check out The Official Store of the City of New York. I love these Skyline Book Ends

Tuesday: Sibella Court’s The Stylist’s Guide to NYC looks absolutely gorgeous! After living & working in NYC over a 15 year period Sibella shares her secrets with a city she knows like the back-of-her-hand: her favourite haunts, tried & tested hidden gems, secrets and holes in the wall. Sibella introduces you to her 9 loops of ‘interests’: Scents & Flower Merchants, Oddities & Curiosities, Jewellery & Hardware, Haberdashery & Handmade, Drapers & Upholstery, Art & Objets, Paper & Art Supplies, Kitchen & Table Paraphernalia and Furniture & Interiors. Each loop takes you on a journey through the city.

Monday: Design Hype’s NYC Metro Cuff is a matte metal bracelet embossed with the subway lines, numbers and streets of Manhattan. I think it looks very cool and will certainly help me navigate the subway when I eventually get back there!

Last week we spent 4 days in the car on our a road trip. While I like driving, 4 days is a little too long in a small sedan packed to the brim. During the trip I discovered a few things that made it more comfortable. This week I thought I would share them with you – they may not be the most glamorous gifts, but I can assure you that any person about to head off on a car trip would be happy to receive one of these…

Weekend: If your road tripper doesn’t have any roadside assist think about buying them some as a parting gift. I found some good deals with 24/7 Roadservices. They will certainly thank you if they need it!

Friday: Of course a great playlist is crucial for a road trip – if you already have it on your iPhone or iPod then you need an FM Transmitter

Thursday: eating takeaway on the road quickly gets old (and expensive). Its great to be able to stop wherever you like with a full picnic set and thermos for a yummy lunch in beautiful surrounds.

Wednesday: Not a pretty gift but certainly a useful one is a 12V-240V power inverter to keep the laptop and iPhone fully charged on the long trip.

Tuesday: we were sharing the driving and when it was my turn in the passenger seat I took the opportunity to catch up on some sleep. My neck pillow stopped my head lolling about the car and getting kinks in my neck.

Monday: I’m sure you have already guessed how much I love iPhone apps. On the trip I discovered two really good ones:

• Show the loo is a must have for anyone with a small bladder (like me!) on a road trip. It shows you toilets within a 10km radius or hit the ’I’m busting’ button and it instantly loads directions to the closest toilet.

• TuneIn Radio is internet radio for the iPhone. It allows you to listen to and record over 40,000 radio stations on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. However, on our trip we used it to find stations we wanted to listen to. You simply press browse and it would use your current location to tell you the stations where you were. So much better than constantly having to search through the annoying radio buzz.