The rain exploded with a mighty crash as we fell into the sun

One of the few good things that came out of 2009 (my God, are you as tired of my whining as I am?) was that one of my very best friends from college and NYC caught the west coast bug and moved to San Diego. Cara and her boyfriend moved in October, spent a few months in temporary housing, and at the first of the year, signed a lease for an ocean-front apartment in Mission Beach.

And when I say ocean-front, it's actually more like ocean-back, because this is their backyard:

That white stuff isn't snow, as I originally thought, but foam, brought up to the sea wall from the rain storm that roared through Southern California earlier that week. Because it happens so infrequently here, rain is considered a novelty, and - in LA, at least - it's a welcome relief as it clears out the smog and cleanses the city.

This trip was, in a sense, cleansing for me. First, I had never been to Mission Beach, never knew a place like that existed. It's basically a vacation town, where people actually live and work, though I can't imagine anyone gets much work done, what with the beach and so many bars and neighbors within distraction distance. It reminded me of my summers spent on the Jersey Shore - which weren't that different from that Jersey Shore - in that the whole town just seemed like one party after another. Good-looking people walking, rollerblading, running on the beach; neighbors drinking wine and beer on their porches, inviting us in; bar after bar after bar after bar; after-hours in abundance. And, my goodness, the boys. How have I never heard the term Man Diego? Good-looking, all-American-looking, single-looking guys, all around my age, seemingly around every corner. I was completely floored. I'd seriously given up on the idea that they even existed.

Beyond anything that Mission Beach offered, I just had more fun with my friend than I have had in a long, long time. We laughed for two days straight. My sides hurt, my cheeks hurt, and it was the best I've felt in forever.

I'm so extremely thankful they have a guest room.