THIS IS MY CITY | Kara-Joy Rickard's Auckland

Kara-Joy Rickard is one half of Auckland radio station George FM 's drive program and a great friend of ours. She lives in Auckland with her two children and her husband, and we love the guide that she shared with us. Our last Auckland guide was from almost two years ago, by Sherie Muijs (see her guide to Berlin here). It's nice to have a little update, full of bakeries and cakeries, shopping spots and places to explore. This is Auckland, by Kara-Joy.

 Te Henga | Source

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BENAH LOVES | An Organised Life Travel Journal

There is nothing quite like travel. It recharges and recalibrates, inspires and motivates, soothes and heals. We're big fans of travel at Benah, take a look at our city guides if you don't believe us. We love that An Organised Life, a stationary company run by the New Zealand-born, Bondi-based Beck Wadworth, has just released a Limited Edition Travel Journal. In classic monochrome, there's a place for everything from all your important details to your budget, your itinerary and, of course, your city guides. We spoke to Beck about her new travel journal and asked her what her travel essentials were.

 Photography | Nicole Cooper

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THIS IS MY CITY | Sherie's Berlin

Berlin is one of those cities in the world we have always wanted to visit but haven't quite made it to yet. We've wanted to go for years, ever since we shared our first guide to Berlin, by Tiffany. And when we learned that our friend Sherie Muijs, shirtmaker par excellence, had moved from Auckland to Berlin, we knew we had to ask her to share her favourite places in her new home. This is Berlin, by Sherie.

 Sherie Muijs | Photo by Conor Clarke

one. Best thing about Berlin? It’s relaxed pace.

two. Worst thing about Berlin? It’s relaxed pace.

three. Favourite secret spot? My friends’ rooftop terrace. If you can locate access to a rooftop, the views are a must-see.

 Volkspark Friedrichshain | Sherie Muijs

four. Favourite everyone-knows-it-but-it's-still-good spot? Volkspark Friedrichshain is my local favourite and judging by the amount of people there on a sunny day, boy does everyone know it!

five. What was your newest discovery in Berlin? My most recent discovery is a new wine bar called Briefmarken on Karl-Marx Allee. What about somewhere you've been going forever but can't quite give up? I can’t go past Five Elephants cheesecake. Whether I pick up a slice from their stall at Street Food Thursday or from their café in Kreuzberg, I simply can’t say no!

six. Where is the best place for.... morning coffee/pick-me-up? meal with friends? romantic rendez-vous? late night drink? even later-night boogie? I personally enjoy a coffee from the guys at Passenger on Saturdays at Boxhagner Platz Markets. For a meal with friends, I’ve had a couple of great nights at Kimchi Princess on Skalitzer Straße, and if you’re not shy of a little spice, I highly recommend it. My romantic rendes-vous and late night drink would be at Bar Babette. It’s an old 1960s cosmetic bar and conveniently close to my apartment. I’m yet to experience Berlin’s clubbing scene [I know, I know] but it’s certainly the place to be if you’re looking for a great night out.

 Bar Babette | Sherie Muijs

seven. Where are Berlin's style spots? Where is the best shopping? Nowkoelln Flowmarkt along Maybachufer, held every second Sunday, is where to go for the best finds. It’s also a prime location for people watching!

eight. What is something you can get/read/experience/eat that you can only do in Berlin? Its open-air cinemas, communal gardens and abandoned buildings are all pretty unique.

nine. You can tell a lot about a city from their airport. Describe Berlin’s. There’s almost too much to pack into this question as Berlin has four airports, all reflecting Berlin as a city. Its international airport is slowly emerging and yet to open. There are two smaller airports, one east the other west, as well as Templehof which has now closed-down, welcoming kite surfers, communal gardens and grilling during the summer. It’s quite unique.

 Templehof Airport Park | IheartBerlin

ten. How would your describe Berlin to someone who has never been there before? It is packed full with history, incredibly diverse and constantly under construction.

Read more city guides here.

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KITCHEN | Rhubarb + Cinnamon Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

Jordan Rondel is The Caker, a gorgeous cake-bakin' babe based in Auckland New Zealand, where she makes mouth-watering, truly gorgeous cakes from her kitchen (with a neon sign out the front) on the K'Rd. We love that her cakes are simple, with high quality ingredients and unfussy finishings, letting the flavours do all the talking. Jordan shared with us her recipe for a not-too-sweet, not-too-spicy cake with a rich maple icing, perfect for all the rhubarb that has been showing up in stores recently.

 Jordan Rondel | The Caker | Undone Journal

KITCHEN | Rhubarb + Cinnamon Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Icing | The Caker

In this moist cinnamony cake, the seasonal rhubarb lends both a sweetness and tartness, which is surprisingly harmonious.

Ingredients: 8 stalks of rhubarb, washed, trimmed and cut into 2cm chunks
2 tbspn maple syrup
150g butter, softened 150g unrefined golden caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 organic eggs
150g spelt flour
50g ground almonds
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
 ½ cup Greek yogurt

Icing: 200g cream cheese
½ lime juice
3 tbsp maple syrup

Method: Preheat the oven to 180ºC fan bake. Grease and line a 22cm diameter cake tin.
Poach the rhubarb by simmering it in 1/2 cup water along with the maple syrup until soft, approximately 5 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until pale, light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time. Sift in the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and cinnamon, and then add the yogurt. Stop your electric mixer once all the ingredients are combined, do not over mix.

Pour the batter into the tin and dot the cooked rhubarb into it, pressing the fruit down lightly with a spoon. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until golden in colour, springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

Meanwhile, make the icing. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat all the ingredients together until smooth. Once the cake is completely cool, ice with a generous amount of the icing. Decorate with some more cooked rhubarb along with its syrup.

Store in a cool, dry place in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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KITCHEN | Flourless Rhubarb + Lemon Cake

My Darling Lemon Thyme is the creation of Emma Galloway. A mother, chef, photographer and old friend (previously she has written a pretty delicious chocolate and date slice recipe for us, one of our favourite posts of all time).

Her food blog has captured the attention of many, winning awards and accolades. Listed as one of the top 10 food blogs in Babbles 100 Best Bloggers 2013, Emma has been featured on Epicurious, Taste.com.au, The Guardian, and was a finalist in the 2013 Pedestrian Blogster Awards. But her biggest prize may be just around the corner as right now she is winging her way to Las Vegas to compete in the Academy Awards of food blogs; The Saveur Best Food Blogs Awards. 

As a finalist in the Best Original Recipes category, a top selling book now available in stores and international recognition abound; success could not have come to a more deserving person. We are so excited to see her images and world come to life in print and can't wait to see what's up next for Emma.

Recipe & Images by Emma Galloway | My Darling Lemon Thyme

Flourless Rhubarb + Lemon Cake When baking I use unrefined raw sugar that I've blended in my upright blender until powdered. You can also use caster sugar if preferred. 
Serves 8-10

250g rhubarb (about 4 decent stalks/2 cups finely sliced), sliced into 1cm pieces
2 1/2 cups (275g) almond meal (ground almonds)
150g soft butter
3/4 cup (150g) blended unrefined raw sugar* see headnotes
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
the finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
4 free-range eggs, at room temperature
blended unrefined raw sugar or pure icing sugar (confectioners), to dust, optional

Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Grease and line the base and sides of a 9 inch/23cm cake tin with baking paper.Combine the rhubarb and almond meal in a large bowl, mixing well to evenly coat the rhubarb in almond meal (this will prevent the rhubarb from sinking to the bottom of the cake during cooking). In another bowl combine soft butter, sugar and extract and beat with an electric beater or wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Add zest and one egg at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the wet mixture to the almond meal and stir to combine. Pour into the cake tin, smooth off the top with a spatula and bake for 60-65 minutes or until golden and a skewer comes out clean when pressed into the centre of the cake. Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes before removing the tin and transferring to a wire rack to cool. Serve dusted with icing sugar. Will keep 3 days airtight, or refrigerated for longer. 

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WANDERLUST | Pamukkale - Turkey

Turkey holds a special place in our hearts here at Benah as a lot of our leather products are made in the city of Istanbul. For anyone travelling to Turkey a visit to the city of Pamukkale is a must.

Meaning 'cotton castle' in Turkish the city contains spectacular hot spring and travertines which are giant elaborate limestone terraces. You are able to bath but since being declared a World Heritage Site in 1988 tourists are limited to the smaller pools to preserve the terraces and you must remove your shoes so that they remain pristine white. 

From the images below we imagine they are similar to The Pink and White Terraces in New Zealand before they were destroyed by an earthquake in 1886.

Pamukkale - Turkey

Pink and White Terraces - New Zealand circa 1980

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THIS IS MY CITY | Sherie's Auckland

Sherie is a shirtmaker and designer from Auckland who has her own label. We love the relaxed elegance and luxurious practicality of her designs and we love the natural, simplistic guide to Auckland that she put together - it's got us a little bit homesick! This is Auckland, by Sherie.

pictures by Sherie Muijs unless specified

Sherie setting up a brunch party in Auckland

one. Best thing about Auckland? Is that you are never far from the sea. In less than 30 minutes at any given moment, you can escape the chaos of the city to find vast landscapes and endless horizons. 

two. Worst thing about Auckland? Its four seasons in one day is an ongoing frustration amongst most. One needs to be prepared for rain, hail and shine ev-ery-day. 

three. Favourite secret spot? Pah Homestead, nestled not far from where I grew up. 

four. Favourite everyone-knows-it-but-it's-still-good spot? The Botanical Gardens, most commonly visited by tourists or high-school photography students, but I still love it all the same. 

At Karikari with friends

five. What is your newest discovery in Auckland? What about somewhere you've been going forever but can't quite give up? Thanks to a friend, earlier this year I discovered the Hillary Trail at Karikari Beach. After a decent trek along the beach and then hike up endless hills, you reach the most outstanding view. Never far from Auckland is there a bush walk to discover or waterfall to find. 

six. Where is the best place for.... morning coffee/pick-me-up? meal with friends? romantic rendez-vous? late night drink? even later-night boogie? Supreme Coffee on Douglas Street offers the best selection of coffees. My personal favourite is a filtered Yirgacheffe. My pick for somewhere to go for a meal with friends is Sunday Painters. I recently had my first meal there with the girls and imagine it will be the first of many. There are numerous reasons to want to go back, but the most compelling of them all are the bowl of hand-cut fries with caper mayonnaise! This restaurant is as equally fitting for a meal with girlfriends as it is for a romantic rendezvous. I also recently celebrated a milestone with my husband there with a bottle of champagne (and a side of fries of course). Following that, a late night drink at The Golden Dawn will top off any great night. 

Coffee Supreme - source

seven. Where are Auckland's style spots? Where is the best shopping? Fabric and Scotties Boutique downtown house some of my utmost favorite designers -- Comme des Garcons, Dries van Noten, A.P.C, Isabel Marant and Margaret Howell. And while in the city, Auckland’s Britomart precinct is a fairly new development, where you are spoilt for choice when it comes to New Zealand designers and great bars and restaurants. 

eight. What is something you can get/read/experience/eat that you can only do in Auckland? Catch the ferry over to Waiheke Island, hire a scooter and explore the island. If you have the time, hire a bach for a weekend, visit their local markets, taste a local brew or two and unwind with yoga or a pottery class perhaps. 

nine. You can tell a lot about a city from their airport. Describe Auckland's. A work in progress… 

ten. How would your describe Auckland to someone who has never been there before? Incredibly diverse, a city of cities. 

Waiheke beach - source

Benah's This Is My City guides:

Elise's Paris

Estelle's Melbourne

Hannah-Rose's Hong Kong
Katerina's Mexico 

Dee's New York

Tiffany's Berlin 

Dee's Sydney 

Talisa and Rohan's Tokyo 

Jessica's London

Georgia's Paris

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