Volume 6
Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I by Gustav Klimt — Taqueria, Notting Hill — Oven salmon fillets — Eyes Wide Shut by Stanley Kubrick — Motherhood
Happy Sunday and welcome to the sixth edition of Giselle daydreams. Today I’m sharing about a mesmerising painting, an easy salmon recipe perfect for a midweek meal, a Mexican restaurant in Notting Hill, my favourite Stanley Kubrick film, and I’ll tell about Queen L weaning journey so far and the essentials you need to buy for a pleasant experience. Enjoy!
A painting
Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I by Gustav Klimt (1903-1907)
This masterpiece had to feature sooner or later in my newsletter as I became fascinated by this portrait when I discovered it about a decade ago. This artwork also has a fascinating history, which probably linked to its worldwide fame today on top its aesthetic features. For the anecdote, I was debating whereas writing on Gustav Klimt and Vienna art scene for my dissertation. However, since this topic was popular among art historians, I opted to write about the similarities between Egon Schiele and Otto Dix in their depiction of the distorted bodies.
The Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I is a notable painting by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt, created between 1903 and 1907. It is also known as The Lady in Gold or The Woman in Gold. The work is a stunning example of Klimt's distinctive style, characterised by intricate patterns, elaborate ornamentation, and the extensive use of gold leaf.
Adele Bloch-Bauer was a wealthy Jewish socialite and a muse for the artist. She was the wife of Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer, a prominent industrialist and art patron in Vienna during the early 20th century. Klimt was a close friend of the Bloch-Bauer family, and Adele became one of his favourite subjects. The portrait depicts her in a luxurious, golden gown, surrounded by a shimmering mosaic-like gold background. Her enigmatic expression and the intricate details of the painting contribute to its enduring allure. The use of gold leaf in the painting gives it a luminous quality, adding to its luxurious and extravagant appearance.
The painting remained in the Bloch-Bauer family collection until it was seized by the Nazis during World War II in 1941, and was displayed in the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere in Vienna. After a long legal battle, the painting was eventually returned to Adele Bloch-Bauer's heirs in 2006. It was then sold to Ronald Lauder, the founder of the Neue Galerie in New York for $135 million, making it one of the most expensive paintings ever sold at that time. It is now on display at the Neue Galerie in New York.
This masterpiece from the early 20th century Art Nouveau movement is celebrated for its intricate decorative elements, rich symbolism, and its portrayal of Adele Bloch-Bauer, a prominent Viennese socialite and the wife of Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer, an art patron and sugar magnate.
Adele Bloch-Bauer is portrayed in a regal manner, sitting in an ornate armchair with her hands folded in her lap. Her pose exudes elegance and poise, emphasising her status and grace. Klimt positions her centrally, drawing the viewer's attention to her enigmatic expression and captivating presence.
One of the most striking features of the painting is the abundant use of gold leaf, which covers large portions of the canvas. This opulent use of gold conveys a sense of luxury, wealth, and spiritual significance. It is a hallmark of Klimt's style, and in this painting, it adds a luminous quality to Adele's figure and the background.
Klimt incorporates intricate patterns and symbolism throughout the painting. Adele is adorned with elaborate jewellery, including a prominent gold choker, which adds to her regal appearance. The background is adorned with decorative motifs and geometric patterns, showcasing Klimt's fascination with ornamentation.
Adele's eyes are particularly captivating. They are deep and contemplative, almost haunting. Klimt captures a sense of mystery and introspection, inviting viewers to contemplate the subject's thoughts and emotions. Her Mona Lisa-like smile further adds to the painting's allure and enigma.
Klimt's painting style in Adele Bloch-Bauer I is a fusion of various artistic influences, including Art Nouveau, Symbolism, and the Arts and Crafts movement. The intricate patterns and ornamental details reflect the Art Nouveau aesthetic, while the symbolism and emotional depth are characteristic of Symbolist art.
The painting was created during a period of significant cultural and intellectual ferment in Vienna, and it reflects the city's vibrant artistic atmosphere. Additionally, the painting's history, including its seizure by the Nazis and subsequent restitution, adds layers of historical and political significance to its interpretation.
The Lady in Gold is a nickname often used to refer to the Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I. The nickname became widely known after the publication of the novel The Lady in Gold: The Extraordinary Tale of Gustav Klimt's Masterpiece, Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer by Anne-Marie O'Connor in 2012.
The Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I is a masterpiece that continues to captivate audiences with its exquisite beauty, intricate symbolism, and the enigmatic presence of the subject. It stands as a testament to Klimt's genius and remains a symbol of the rich artistic and cultural heritage of the early 20th century Vienna.
If you enjoyed reading about this painting, I could tell you more about Klimt’s most famous painting The Kiss. Would you be interested? Let me know!
Eating in London
Taqueria
A month ago, I was in the mood Mexican food and I wanted to try a new restaurant to satisfy my craving. I was looking for a laid-back and relaxed atmosphere, obviously children-friendly, to venture for our family Sunday lunch. I discovered Taqueria in Notting Hill. I walked past it many times on Westbourne Grove, but I was always drawn to visit my go-to places in the neighbourhood, as I’m an avid brunch amateur.
Needless to say, I wasn’t disappointed to have switched my habits and tasted their delicious food. I shared everything with my husband, and we were satisfied with the choice of dishes I selected for us to devour. Indeed, my husband and I are bon vivant, and we don’t skimp on food when we go out.
I usually share what I order with my eating companion, which enables me to experiment more from the menu. We shared the deep-fried cod and the seabass tacos, and we encountered an explosion of flavours. I have to say that these tacos are very filling, and most couples wouldn’t order two sets of tacos on top of other dishes. Therefore, choose wisely if you only pick one taco dish.
We also wanted to try their crunchy tostadas, and we opted for the classic ceviche and the tuna tartare. It was delicious, and despite being able to prepare decent ceviche and a mouth-watering tuna tartare (you will get the recipe in a few volumes), I love discovering ingredients combined together that I’m not very familiar with when going for my weekly culinary treat.
Now I need to tell you about the quesadillas as we became obsessed with them. After ordering the chipotle salsa, which was scrumptious despite being slightly too spicy for me. We decided that we wanted to have our own quesadillas. My husband went for the chipotle salsa again, whereas I went for the garlic mushroom quesadillas, which was also toothsome.
Somehow, we didn’t get our guacamole and totopos, which meant we still had room for dessert. We couldn’t resist sharing some churros to end our meal on a sweet note. I would go again as soon as I fancy Mexican cuisine.
A recipe
Oven salmon fillets
This is a staple in our household. This recipe is effortless and requires minimum ingredients and utensils. You can also batch cook it and reheat it if you wish.
For ease, let’s make it for 2. All measurements are approximate. You can adjust to your liking.
2 salmon fillets
extra virgin olive oil
tamari
thyme
chilli flakes
oregano
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 180C. In an oven safe dish, I use Pyrex, place a parchment baking sheet to avoid unnecessary scrubbing, but if you don’t have it, it’s fine too. Place your salmon fillets skin down that you have previously pat dry with some kitchen roll.
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and brush so that you don’t need to use an excessive amount of olive oil to cover the fish, which is already oily because it’s salmon. Then drizzle some tamari and brush the fillets so the tamari is well impregnated.
On the top of the fillets, sprinkle thyme and oregano on the whole surface and sprinkle some chilli flakes.
Put the dish in the oven for 18 min.
Remove the dish from the oven and let it cool down for a bit. Serve it with some rice or potatoes or even noodles. Enjoy!
Cinema
Eyes Wide Shut by Stanley Kubrick (1999)
This film is probably my favourite one by Stanley Kubrick and this is a film I can happily rewatch. It is a 1999 erotic drama film directed, produced, and co-written by Stanley Kubrick, based on the novella Traumnovelle (Dream Story) by Arthur Schnitzler. The provocative and enigmatic thriller explores the themes of sexual desire, jealousy, and the dark undercurrents of human relationships.
The film follows Dr. Bill Harford, played by Tom Cruise, and his wife Alice Harford, played by Nicole Kidman, who live in New York City. The story begins when Bill and Alice attend a high-society party hosted by a wealthy friend. At the party, Alice reveals to Bill that she once had sexual fantasies about another man, which sparks jealousy and insecurity in him. Feeling unsettled, Bill embarks on a nighttime odyssey through New York City, encountering a series of increasingly strange and surreal situations. He ventures into the hidden world of secret and elite sexual gatherings, where masked and costumed participants engage in elaborate and often disturbing sexual rituals. As Bill delves deeper into this shadowy world, he becomes entangled with a mysterious woman named Mandy (played by Julienne Davis) and is drawn into a dangerous web of desire and obsession. Throughout his journey, he grapples with his own sexual fantasies and the complexities of his relationship with Alice.
Eyes Wide Shut explores the darker aspects of human sexuality and desire, including jealousy, infidelity, and the search for sexual satisfaction. It raises questions about the boundaries between fantasy and reality. The film delves into Bill's feelings of jealousy and insecurity triggered by Alice's admission of sexual fantasies. It examines the fragility of trust and the emotional turbulence that can arise within a relationship. The narrative is structured as a mysterious odyssey, with Bill navigating a series of enigmatic encounters and hidden sexual gatherings. The film's atmosphere is imbued with an eerie sense of secrecy and danger. The film portrays a world of wealth and privilege, where the elite engage in secretive and taboo activities. It explores the disparities between different social classes and the power dynamics at play. Eyes Wide Shut has a dreamlike and surreal quality, with the boundaries between reality and fantasy often blurring. This dreamlike atmosphere contributes to the film's enigmatic and unsettling nature.
The film explores the complex and often taboo aspects of human sexuality. Dr. Bill Harford's journey takes him through a series of sexual encounters and exposes the hidden desires and fantasies that people harbour. The portrayal of sexuality in the film is both alluring and unsettling.
Central to the narrative is the examination of marital dynamics and its complexities in relation to jealousy and insecurity of the main protagonist. The revelation of Alice's sexual fantasy triggers a chain of events that lead Dr. Harford to confront his own insecurities and explore the boundaries of fidelity within marriage.
The title itself, Eyes Wide Shut, suggests a theme of people living with their eyes closed, oblivious to certain truths. The film portrays a society where individuals wear masks, both literal and metaphorical, hiding their true selves and engaging in deceptive behaviour. The film explores the facade people maintain in society, the secrets they hide, and the deceptions, which exist beneath the surface.
The secretive and ritualistic nature of the gatherings attended by the elite in the film raises questions about power dynamics and the hidden aspects of social hierarchies. The masked and anonymous nature of the participants adds an eerie quality to the exploration of the upper echelons of society.
Kubrick, known for his meticulous attention to detail, presents a dreamlike and surreal atmosphere throughout the film. This leads to interpretations suggesting that much of what transpires may be a manifestation of the characters' unconscious desires and fears. The use of music, symbolism, and visual motifs contributes to an otherworldly experience, prompting viewers to question the nature of the events portrayed.
The film incorporates Freudian elements, exploring the unconscious mind and the manifestation of repressed desires. Dr. Harford's journey can be seen as a psychological exploration, with the events representing a dreamlike descent into the depths of the unconscious.
As Dr. Harford delves deeper into the world of secret societies and hidden desires, he undergoes a personal transformation. The film explores the loss of innocence and the exposure to a darker side of human nature.
Dr. Harford's night-long odyssey is characterised by a sense of isolation. Despite being surrounded by people, he remains emotionally detached and unable to connect with others on a meaningful level. This theme of alienation reflects a disconnection from authentic human connections.
The film includes religious and ritualistic imagery, such as masked ceremonies and processions. These elements add a layer of mysticism and provoke questions about the intersection of spirituality and the baser instincts of human nature.
Kubrick's meticulous attention to detail is evident in the film's cinematography. Symbolic elements, such as the recurring use of the colour red, mirrors, and masks, contribute to the layered and symbolic nature of the narrative.
The film concludes with an ambiguous ending, leaving the audience to interpret the events and their significance. The open-ended conclusion adds to the overall mystery of the film and invites viewers to consider multiple interpretations.
Eyes Wide Shut received mixed reviews upon its release, with some critics praising its visual and thematic complexity, while others found it provocative and controversial. This film invites a wide range of interpretations due to its enigmatic nature and the deliberate ambiguity crafted by Stanley Kubrick. It was Stanley Kubrick's final film, as he passed away shortly after completing it. The film has since gained a cult following and continues to be analysed and discussed for its exploration of human sexuality and relationships.
Motherhood
The beginning of Queen L’s weaning journey
Weaning your baby is a personal choice, and it was something that I was looking forward to, except that I didn’t realise that Queen L would still breastfeed as much. Truth is, the main source of nutrition for babies until 12 months is breastmilk (or formula). Weaning is more for fun. It’s intended to explore, discover, and play with taste and textures. I also read that introducing as many flavours as you can before your baby reaches 10 months may help him/her not become a fussy eater in the future.
I was on a mission to get Queen L experimenting with many veggies and fruits during the first month. As I’m posting this, we’ve been weaning for 1.5 months, therefore I may do an update in the future. My aim was to mainly introduce veggies for the first 2-3 weeks as breastmilk is already sweet, and I wanted Queen L to enjoy veggies like her mum. I also wanted to have everything homemade, as I enjoy cooking for myself, so why wouldn’t I like to do it for my little princess? I would be lying saying if I didn’t disclose it’s time-consuming, but it’s my personal choice and I’m happy to allocate time to do it when I’m able to. The good part? I get to taste everything, and let me tell you, I would eat what my daughter is eating!
To track our progress, I decided to simply create a note on my phone and write the food we tried in chronological order. I aimed to do 30 ingredients in the first month, but in the end, we discovered 22 or 23 new flavours. Not bad after all! By the time you read this after 7 weeks of weaning we reached over 35 ingredients.
Something more popular in the UK and the US is the concept of BLW (baby-led weaning), I don’t think I was BWL when I was first introduced to foods. Usually, at least in France, people tend to go for purées and offer finger foods at a later stage, to avoid the mess. I feel you, my OCD reached the roof when we started weaning, but now I just tell myself I’ll clean afterwards. Easier said that done tough.
I decided to wait until Lior turned 6 months old to start our weaning journey. Some people start weaning at 4-5 months. However, I decided to wait when I learned that food was more fun at her age, and I secretly feel sad about us spending less time breastfeeding and cuddling.
For the first 2-3 weeks, I introduced veggies purées and Lior is definitely a Queen as I didn’t try rutabaga until the age of 30! Something paramount for me was that baby food should be tasty. Therefore, I opted to add spices and herbs as soon as we introduced food. My favourite spices are cinnamon for apples, nutmeg for pears with Greek yoghurt, cumin for carrots and cauliflower, and garam masala for curry and courgette fritters.
At the moment, I’m doing a mix of purées as she likes me to feed her and finger foods, as she recently became very interested in grabbing everything and self-feeding. I think this is what works best for us. However, I chose wisely which finger foods to give her to avoid a massive mess. Cucumbers are my favourites for mess-free finger foods, but we also now have broccoli and cauliflower florets, fritters, and of course pancakes! Recently, I decided to add more protein and wanted her to taste eggs and salmon. She also copied mummy and had porridge with homemade raspberry chia seeds jam and almond butter, it was a win. She’s definitely my daughter! Soon, I’ll introduce meat as well. I will give my mum the pleasure to my mum to witness the introduction of my beloved pesto pasta, so she can be of emotional support when the house turns green!
Below are some items that are essentials for your weaning journey.
Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair I chose the iconic Tripp Trapp highchair which was invented by Peter Opsvik in 1972. I enjoyed the fact this ingenious chair can be used for various stages of your children’s lives, and of course, I like the Scandinavian design, which perfectly fits our living and dining room aesthetic.
Pippeta weaning ultimate set I think this is one of the best weaning sets I have come across. I liked the silicon material and they also offer a wide range of colours. This set is perfect as it includes everything you need from the suction plate and suction bowl to the first spoon and fork. I also like their innovative design of the cup and straw as it comes with a lid, and you can remove the lid and straw once your child can drink from a cup alone. Last thing, you also get a silicon bib, which is a game changer, as all the leftovers go straight into it!
Waterproof Cape Sleeved Bib this is something extremely useful to put before the silicon bib and will prevent staining your baby/toddler clothes.
Finally for those celebrating Hanukkah, I hope you’re devouring way too many donuts and latkes while lighting colourful candles.
I hope you enjoyed the sixth edition of Giselle daydreams. See you in two weeks for the last edition of 2023!
Giselle xx
Good film, women in gold