Good Things About L.A. (an on-going series)

Ya know, L.A. sometimes gets a bad rap - fires, riots, gang violence, smog, shallow people, blah, blah, blah and, yes, it's true at times.

But if you look between the cracks (and the crackheads), you can find some wonderful things about L.A.

So here's an on-going list of things I like about this sprawling metropolis:

1. You need a special mixture for #1: Add a few days of rain, followed by at least one good day of strong winds and you get a rare, but incredible treat - a very sunny city with visibility for miles. When L.A. isn't hiding behind its veil of dirty air, the view is stunning. Especially during the Winter, when the local mountains are touched with a crest of snow.

2. Jonesy's Jukebox on Indie 103.1 - one of the last reasons to own a radio in L.A. Former Sex Pistol's guitar god Steve Jones hosts two hours of pretty much whatever he wants. Today for example, a majority of the show was him singing and playing along to 70s and 80s R & B and Rap. Genius.

3. Amoeba Music in Hollywood - I just made my most recent trek on Sunday for a hit of the best damn record store on Planet Earth. Period. Yes, there's a couple of 'em in the Bay Area but from what I've heard, ours is the biggest.