Would you like to sit inside or out?

Airman, August, 2004 by Christine L. Kunz

Climate: Southern California's climate has often been described as "perfect." It's mostly sunny, with an average of 292 days of sun, and warm with gentle ocean breezes in the summer. Temperatures reach an average high of 83 degrees in the summer and a low of 45 in the winter. The humidity is low with little rain. The last time it snowed in Los Angeles was in January 1949 with only three-tenths of an inch.

Cost of living: Community housing is expensive, with a one-bedroom apartment ranging from $640 to $1,250 a month; two bedrooms can cost $750 to $1,400 per month. Military families find the base housing units to be among the best in the Air Force. Most were built in the last decade and are located in San Pedro, approximately 18 miles from the base, overlooking the San Pedro Bay. Divided among historic Fort MacArthur, Pacific Height's and Pacific Crest, these units include two-, three- and four-bedroom units. Additional housing is currently being constructed.

Education: Los Angeles Unified School District is the second largest school district in the country, with 60 to 70 percent of its graduates pursuing higher education. Los Angeles is home to 176 colleges and universities, including three campuses of the University of California and seven campuses of the California State University system. Many private colleges are also in the area, including the University of Southern California, Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount, Occidental, Art Center of college and Design, and California Institute of Technology.

Recreation: Los Angeles is the only place where you can go surfing in the morning and snowboarding in the afternoon. You can play tennis, go rollerblading on the "strand" (cement walkways that line the beaches), mountain bike, ice skate, hike or play a round of 18 at one of dozens of golf courses. Aside from that, pool lounging is probably a favorite activity. But for a change of pace, the city also offers some 300 museums, a host of nightclubs, concerts and plenty of theme parks.

Want more info? www.losangeles.af.mil; www.elsegundo chamber.org; www.ci.la.ca.us; www.afcrossroads.com.