They will adjust your income right? Thats a good thing, since CA has an incredibly unbelievably high cost of living. Youll make lots of money here, but it will cost you a lot to stay. I live in So Cal, but have been to LA on numerous occasions. It really doesn't do southern California justice. The city is crowded, and get a really....dirty... vibe from it. Also, smog is horrible. If you could get a reasonably suburban place to live though....since its only for a year, id recommend it. Give it a try, it'll be different. From my experiences, the people are far different on the west coast than the east side of the country. On a side note...weather isn't what most people expect. Its downright HOT several months outta the year unless you live on the coast, and sunny all the time...seems like it can be sunny even when its raining.
From what i hear though, and my own personal preferences, rule texas right out. As for Miami, well....its got the southern beach thing going for it, but from what i have heard, its humid all the time. Personally, i HATE humidity. Also they have the whole old people issue, along with that little hurricane season. Great Fishing though
Anyway, id say give LA a try. Its by no means the best southern CA has to offer, but its unique in its own right, and could be fun for a short while. Snowboarding and surfing are available year round, though the snow could be a little bit of a drive (hour, maybe two). A decent wetsuit and surfing goes on throughout the winter. Heck, i went through SCUBA training in the mid/beginning of January. Always a beach to surf at, and always a mountain to snow on. You might hate it when your done, but i think it would be a fun change from the NE that youd never forget.