I love a good rain. It's possible that in Southern California it doesn't rain enough - except for when it rains too much. But really there is just nothing like a good rain storm. It gets cold (if it's a cold season, otherwise it's hot and muggy and then the rain is good too, but for a different reason). But the wind typically blows a lot and then slows and finally stops. The air is still and doesn't smell of anything out of the ordinary. Then drop by drop the sky opens up until it's pouring.

Out here it is rarely a *mean* sort of rain, but in a good rain the drops aren't soft or gentle, but they aren't beating on you, either. The smell is amazing, a mixture wet earth and hot vapor coming of the hoods of hot cars on the freeways, wet vinyl and ancient heaters coughing out steam and dust.

And then when it's all over with the world looks scrubbed clean. For a place that is very well known for its pollution, Los Angeles is downright beautiful after it's been freshly polished. At night the view can be spectacular (and spectacularly cold), and there is no blue like the night sky after a good wash.