This past monday I celebrated my 31st birthday. For many reasons (ex. 31 is a non-milestone year and the fact that my birthday fell on a Monday) this year should have been a quieter celebration. However, to my surprise and delight it was anything but that!

The morning started off with my favorite tradition of birthday breakfast in bed (see this post), followed by a great day at the office and then coming home to find that my husband had organized a surprise birthday party at our house with all of my friends in on the surprise! If that wasn't enough my husband even made a recipe from Redefining Domestics for the party! I was completely blown away by the entire evening and touched that everyone would make the effort to come and help me celebrate my not so significant birthday on a school night. This birthday really couldn't have been any more perfect and I am still smiling as I sit here typing this recap to you all.

Now, onto my recap of this month's favorite finds. I am absolutely loving this new monthly series because it's providing me with the perfect vehicle for bringing you all my list of latest favorite things. This month's list is a collection of finds that are great for enjoying during any time of year, but especially during the warmer months.

Spindrift Seltzer

Flavored carbonated water is a hot trend at the moment. La Croix and Vintage Seltzer have been two personal favorites, until recently when I discovered Spindrift Seltzer. Why is Spindrift so great? Well, in addition to have a lovely fizz and great flavor variety, the biggest reason for it's jump to the top of my seltzer list is the fact that it is made with real juice and not synthetic substitutes. Nothing beats the taste of real fruit flavor in my opinion and for an additional 10-15 calories per can and 0-2grams of sugar, it is totally worth it! My favorite flavors at the moment include: Lemon, Raspberry-Lime and Grapefruit. I really cannot get enough of these delicious and refreshing flavored seltzers and definitely recommend trying Spindrift ASAP if you haven't already. Here is a link to Spindrift's Product Locator.

Mini Citrus Juicer

I have my fair share of citrus juicing tools, however over this past weekend I came across this mini citrus juicer and had to have it! Why? Not only is it small enough to easily fit in a kitchen drawer, it can juice and/or store both lemons and limes, is dishwasher safe and cost less than $10! Citrus juicing made even easier and most definitely a new favorite tool in my kitchen.

Microplane Garlic Mincer

We all know my love of kitchen tools and especially my obsession with all things Microplane (see here, here and here). While perusing my favorite kitchen stores a few weeks ago, I came across the latest in microplane technology...the Microplane Garlic Mincer! This tool minces garlic with ease, comes in a small compact case for easy storage and is completely dishwasher safe! Microplane's new garlic mincer is an item that I would highly recommend adding to your kitchen tool collection.

Martha Stewart's Cowboy Coconut Bar Recipe

Lately I have been turning to baking as a way to destress. It's a great way for me to break away from my computer at night, try a new recipe and earn immediate satisfaction with a delicious finished product. I came across this recipe while perusing the May Issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine and was immediately intrigued. I've made endless cookie and brownie recipes, but very few cookie bar recipes over the years, so the thought of a chocolate coconut and toasted pecan cookie bar really caught my eye. Martha Stewart's recipe for Cowboy Coconut Bars is an absolute MUST TRY!

Woodberry Kitchen

I attended a bridal shower in Baltimore this past month to celebrate the upcoming nuptials of a family member from my husband's side. All of my husband's extended family drove to Baltimore for the shower which took place in the afternoon. Since it isn't every day that we can get the entire family together, we all planned to go out for an early dinner before everyone headed home.

I had heard about Woodberry Kitchen from my foodie friend at work, who raved about it and said it was a must try and boy was she right! This restaurant is absolutely FABULOUS!! Woodberry Kitchen focuses on supporting the local agriculture of the Chesapeake by creating a menu based on ingredients that are both seasonal and local to the area. In addition to the fabulous food, the ambiance is to die for! The main dining room has massive vaulted ceilings with a rustic chic decor vibe throughout and the most picturesque outdoor garden area seating where I enjoyed the most delicious whiskey smash cocktail (pictured above). And how could I forget to talk about dessert!? I ordered the S'more Kit for one which was served in the most adorable packaging with a roasting skewer so that I could roast the homemade marshmallow (included in the kit) myself in their fire pit located on the back patio of the restaurant. Talk about an experience! If ever in Baltimore, a visit to Woodberry Kitchen need to be on your list!

This month's list of kitchen tools are unexpectedly delightful finds that I have actually used quite a bit this month for an array of recipes. I love that all three tools are multi-purpose and cost under $30 (double yay!). So while this month's selection may seem random, I have found these tools to be extremely helpful and very practical when working in the kitchen. Without further adieu, I give you June's "Motley Crew."

OXO Non-Stick Pizza Cutter

Over the past few months I have found myself making more pizzas and bread doughs at home. I am a huge fan of using my Emile Henry Baking Stone for cooking pizzas and breads, but had become frustrated with the plating/serving process. I know it's ok to cut on the baking stone, but in an effort to keep my lovely stone looking pristine, I would rather not. In addition, if I were using one of my non-stick cookie sheets instead of the stone then I wouldn't even entertain the idea of cutting on the surface of the sheet. However, my tune has recently changed with my recent discovery of the OXO Non-Stick Pizza Wheel! This pizza wheel is non-stick, sharp as can be, safe to use on non-stick surfaces, dishwasher safe and at a cost of $13 how could I resist not owning one?!?

Microplane Box Grater

When I was creating my wedding registry, I tried to be as thoughtful and practical as possible when it came to the items that I selected. I wanted quality products that would last, but at the same time I didn't want to select items that would create unnecessary clutter. Prior to registering, I already owned the Microplane Rasp Grater, which was fabulous for zesting citrus and grating nutmeg. For those of you who may not be familiar with the world of microplanes, they are fabulous tools that come in more than a dozen grating options. In an effort to stick with my registry mantra of quality with minimal clutter, I opted to register for the Microplane Box Grater and I am so glad that I did! The box grater offers 4 microplanes in 1! You can grate onions and blocks of cheese, zest citrus, shave chocolate and even slice potatoes and apples with uniformity! Recently Microplane came out with a new version of their box grater (here), but you can still find the older model that I have pictured above at a reduced price (here)! Of course I have to note my favorite bonus feature of the microplane box grater…it's dishwasher safe!!

Lodge 6.5 inch Cast Iron Skillet

This was a late addition to the list, but in light of the fact that I have had so much fun with my Lodge 6.5in Cast Iron Skillet over the past week (see post here and photos on my instagram page), I felt like it was a must for this month's kitchen tool post. This little skillet cooks food very well, makes for a fabulously rustic presentation, can be used for a variety of dishes (hot dips, breakfast eggs and even a giant cookie!) AND this cast iron skillet is priced quite reasonably…$11!

Chef's Table

This is really a public service announcement - Netflix has recently released a new documentary series, entitled Chef's Table, profiling 6 highly decorated chefs from all walks of life. It took me all of 5 minutes into watching the first segment to become completely hooked! The cinematography is nothing short of superb and the show has received rave reviews from the likes of Bon Appetit, Entertainment Weekly and The New York Times. Chef's Table will entertain both the foodie and non-foodie, plus it's a great weekend activity. I highly recommend checking out this Netflix original series.

**Apologies for the poor quality photo, taking pictures of television shows has never been a strength of mine.