Sandi Hemmerlein
Sandi Hemmerlein is a writer and photographer. Based in L.A. but constantly on the prowl for new adventure, she spends most of her time nurturing her interest in birds, animals, neon, historic theaters, puppets, trains, folk art, and stained glass. In addition to her work for PBS SoCal, Sandi also documents everything on her own website Avoiding Regret.
From bad-guy shooters to gold and silver bonanzas, there’s much that has been lost from the once-thriving mining town of Bodie. There’s still more that's left to protect in the ghost town that survived the Wild West.
Here are five retro arcades where you can play to your heart’s content without worrying about getting home by curfew.
Here are five of the best preservation success stories in L.A.; places that were either resurrected from the dead or reincarnated as something entirely new.
Here are five historic sites along our shores where you can explore the ruins of our recreation, our coastal defense, and even a maritime disaster.
Whether it’s a petite commuter train or a scale railroad that runs in circles, there are plenty of ways to travel SoCal by train without having to go very far.
The once-popular and glamorous resort-town image of the Salton Sea is now shattered and scattered everywhere. Here are the six best places to explore this land and sea of misfits, misunderstandings, and low-desert heat.
Coffee is as much a part of Southern California as wine and craft beer. Here are five places to learn about the coffee-making process (and, of course, drink coffee).
Visit original and significant locations for McDonald’s, In-N-Out, Bob’s Big Boy and more eateries that had their humble beginnings in SoCal.
Want to make an alpaca BFF? Check out these five SoCal ranches for your chance!
Whether you’re a gourmand, an amateur aromatherapist, a history buff or a mystic, the upper and lower valleys of Ojai have got something for you.
This 152-year-old coastal city holds the key to unlocking secrets of the natural world as well as a variety of amusements and attractions.
Here are some of the coolest ways to chill out in the greater Palm Springs area.