Love letter to Los Angeles

Last July, I wandered through LA’s glitzy neighborhoods, chasing the elusive magic everyone dreams of discovering.

It all started the moment I checked into my hotel. The rooftop pool was hosting a full-blown Pride celebration, overflowing with unicorns, cocktails, and hundreds of fabulous gay men with sun-kissed six-packs, dancing as if there was no tomorrow. Everyone was watermelon sugar high. The vibes were so immaculate, I didn’t even bother unpacking. I threw on a pair of shorts, and before I knew it, I was at the rooftop bar, blending into the glittering crowd. I love the gays;  their sense of community make any celebration feel like more than just a party.

For hours, we danced under the LA sky. It was freedom, a vivid reminder that West Hollywood is as much a state of mind as it is a place. I remember thinking, if this is how LA says hello, I might stay forever.

But the showstopper, the breathtaking finale of my LA escapade was the Pacific Palisades. Nestled between rugged cliffs and the sparkling ocean, it felt like Mother Nature had gone all out to impress us. The views, the air, the sunset… The drive down Pacific Coast Highway towards Malibu. The best fried shrimps I’ve ever had in my life. 

Fast-forward to now, the picture couldn’t be more different. My heart breaks to see this dreamy corner of the world in flames. The Pacific Palisades, a place I remember for its peace, is now a battleground against nature’s fury. Families have lost everything—their homes, their keepsakes, the places where futures were built. These days I can’t help but feel the absence of higher powers - whatever one might choose to call them. 

West Hollywood, which last summer danced hand in hand with me under the kaleidoscope sky, now watches through a veil of smoke. Beverly Hills, with its immaculate façade, is holding its breath as fire races through the hillsides.

This isn’t just another wildfire—this is a catastrophe that’s left thousands displaced and heartbroken. The stories coming out of LA on social media are gut-wrenching: families displaced, cherished memories gone in an instant. But if there’s one thing we know about Los Angeles, it’s that resilience is part of its DNA. This city has faced its fair share of disasters, but it always rises from the rubble, shining brighter than ever.

So, while I sit here in the cold, snowy winter in Stockholm, reminiscing about balmy summer nights, my thoughts are with everyone affected by the fires. Hang in there, LA. Your sunsets are too stunning, your people too kind, your spirit too fierce to let the flames win.

And when the smoke clears, we’ll all be back to walk those rainbow crosswalks, marvel at the cliffs, and fall in love all over again.