Bette, Tina, Dana, Helen? Whilst Candy Bar Girls may currently
be the lesbian show de rigeur, ladies let's not forget, the
one, the only, the original - The L Word. The show that made it all
possible and the one my heart will forever remain true to.
Respect.
Why bring it up? Because, whilst you read this, I am currently
gosh-knows how many miles up in the air, nursing a gin and tonic
and desperate for my ears to pop, on a long-haul flight from Paris
to lesbian heaven - the city of angels - LA. Call it a plane ride,
call it a press-tour, call it a pilgrimage.
But from the softly twinkling lumières of the French capital to
the sharp sparkling lights of Los Angeles, one thing travels hand
in hand with heavy baggage and jet lag - my bloody broken heart, as
per blooming sodding usual. Talk about becoming a constant guest
star from a mere cameo appearance. Heartbreak has become an
imaginary oversized jumper that I can't take off - fab with
leggings in winter but not so appropriate in these glorious summer
months.
Needless to say that, for LA, I have only packed t-shirts (oh, and
the odd pair of undies).
Travelling, it's funny, non? It makes me broody and
strangely soul-searchy. Having left England for Paris at a tender
age, I already have two definitions of myself. One a hard-arsed
Brit (not quite as hard-arsed as the ones currently burning the
country to a standstill, but...) and another as a romantic
Parisienne, prone to melancholia, the odd emotional tantrum and
bouts of poetic profundity (as all good French girls are).
Which one to be in LA, both or neither? If I only I could be
Helena from The L Word and have done with it, but I yet harbour
hope that the Americans will find my Geordie tinged with French
irresistibly attractive.
One can always dream!
On the agenda: a little touch of glam at Girl Bar in WeHo (that's West
Hollywood, ahem, I didn't have to Google it, honestly...), a spot
of shopping down Santa Monica Boulevard and an obligatory stop at
Trader Joe's for my absolute favourite American goody: crunchy
almond butter... I may also pop by the clothing store of Leisha
Hailey's long-time girlfriend Nina Garduno. Free City is just about
as cool as you get; conceptual, hip and Hollywood. Its wacky tees
and baggy pants are favoured by lesbians, celebrities and lesbian
celebrities the world over.
Upon my return, London will, with a little luck, have emerged from
its disastrous excessive discount shopping binge to deal with the
after-effects of one serious hangover. Paris, in the meantime,
meanders along en toute tranquillité ; balmy in the summer
sunlight, its terraces packed with beautiful girls, sipping wine
and rarely getting drunk.
Fancy following in Gemma's footsteps? Fly to Los Angeles
with Virgin Atlantic. Click here for
details.
