No Sponsor,
I fly in CA quite a bit and what slim slag says is basically the sum of it. If you hang round the coast you will get the marine layer in the AM and smog can be an issue at any time.
The best thing to do is head inland to the East, you dont have to go far before improves vastly and there are loads of intersting places to visit. Try flying out to Las Vegas which will impress the girlfriend if she has to put up with flying for a couple or weeks or on the other hand I have flown into some strange remote airfields in the US where the locals have been like something out of 'Deliverance' !
Out of interest there is an advert in the back of this months 'Flyer' where an FBO in La Verne CA is offering IFR Senecas for $119/Hr! Absolute bargain, just hope the wings stay on when you take off
Julian.