Shows / Bay Curious
Bay Curious
Bay Curious is a show about your questions – and the adventures you find when you go looking for the answers. Join host Olivia Allen-Price to explore all aspects of the San Francisco Bay Area – from the debate over "Frisco", to the dinosaurs that once roamed California, to the causes of homelessness. Whether you lived here your whole life, or just arrived, Bay Curious will deepen your understanding of this place you call home.
Episodes
Bay CuriousThe Bay Area’s Long Tradition of Celebrating Juneteenth
Juneteenth celebrations in the Bay Area are some of the largest, and longest-running in California. We offer a quick primer on the history of Juneteenth…
Bay CuriousWhat History Teaches Us About How Protests Spark Change
We look back at protests from the civil rights era — both nonviolent and violent — to understand how these actions lead to changes in public policy. This…
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Truth Be Told: Protesting For The Soul of America
This week we’re sharing an episode from Truth Be Told, made by our colleagues: Tonya Mosley, Isabeth Mendoza and Suzie Racho. They speak with Dr. Eddie Glaude…
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The Little Known History of Japanese Internment on Angel Island
Visitors to Angel Island often learn about how the island was once an immigration processing and detention center where Chinese immigrants were made to wait…
Bay CuriousWhere Everyone Gets a Slice of the Pie
Bay Curious listener Columbia Shafer was walking along Grand Ave in Oakland one day, when she noticed a new Zachary's pizza shop opening. "They were putting…
Bay CuriousHow Rice-A-Roni Became The San Francisco Treat
There was a time when you couldn't go too long watching television without seeing a commercial for Rice-A-Roni. Many featured images of San Francisco, and…
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No Prom. No Yearbook Signing. No Graduation Ceremony. It's High School in 2020.
For KQED's annual Youth Takeover project, we hand the mic over to four Bay Area high school students who have been keeping audio diaries while under…
Bay CuriousWhat Help Is There for California’s Undocumented Immigrants?
Listener Russ Johnson asked how coronavirus is impacting undocumented Californians, and if leaders are working to help them. An estimated 2 million…
Bay CuriousFor Love and Hair
The coronavirus pandemic is affecting people in ways big and small. Some are very personal. What's it like to date an immunocompromised person right now? And…
Bay CuriousCleaner Air and Weirder Dreams — Such Is Life in April 2020
As we shelter-in-place, a lot of people on Twitter are sharing the strange dreams they're having. We look into why that might be. And, listener Anne-Marie…
Bay CuriousDid We Put the 'Bay' In Bay Windows?
There are so many bay windows in San Francisco, Oakland, and other cities around the Bay Area it would be easy to assume they were invented here. But were…
Bay CuriousCoronavirus: A Guide to Grocery Shopping
Thanks to Judith Milgram and Ryan Stauffer for their questions. We cover how to shop safely, bring groceries home, and order takeout during the novel…
Bay CuriousJust Don't Call Them Buffalo: Meet the Bison of Golden Gate Park
Bay Curious listener Paul Irving wanted to know: "What's the story with the bison in Golden Gate Park?" The park celebrates its 150th birthday this week, so we…
Bay CuriousDoes Mount Diablo Have the Biggest View in the World?
Listener Mark Isaak heard that the spot on the earth from which you can see the most land is the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. But that the summit of Mount…
Bay CuriousA Coronavirus Care Package: Care For Yourself, Others and Still Have Fun
It has been a week, y'all. We're bringing you some tips on how to care for yourself, an inspiring story about how one neighbor his helping another, and a tour…
Bay CuriousCoronavirus in the Bay Area: Your Questions Answered
What are the recommendations for taking public transit? Should I go to work? Should I cancel upcoming travel plans? How long does the virus last on a doorknob?…
Bay CuriousWhy Highway 280 Has So Few Billboards
Question asker David Shayer has a lot of opinions... about billboards. He says the worst are electronic billboards that flash changing images at night. But in…
Bay CuriousIn A Changing City, How Does The Tenderloin Stay The Same?
San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood is bordered by some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city, yet it has a bad reputation. Tourists are told to…
Bay CuriousCoyotes, They're Back and They're Thriving
Question asker Lauren Fleming has noticed a lot of signs warning about coyote sightings in San Francisco parks. She wants to know how many coyotes live here…
Bay CuriousBay Area, I Love You
This week the Bay Curious team asked locals to help us make a collective love letter to the Bay Area. We talked to people whose families have been here for…
Bay CuriousWe Built This City on ... Water and Marsh?
When Nicole was growing up, her grandmother always told her: Don't live anywhere built on fill. Her uncle also had strong memories of watching the Marina burn…
Bay CuriousYou're Really, Really Curious About BART
We get a lot of BART questions from our listeners, so this week we're answering a slew of them with long-time transit reporter Dan Brekke. How did they build…
Bay CuriousJerry Brown’s Impact on Oakland May Surprise You
Jerry Brown has been a dominant force in California politics for decades. He spent 16 years as governor of California, ran for Senate twice, ran for president…
Bay CuriousWhat's The Real History of El Camino Real?
Reporter Rachael Myrow and listener Debbie Torrey discover that what we've been told about this famous road is mostly bunk. This story first ran on the podcast…
Bay CuriousWhy Do S.F.'s Crosswalks Play a Machine Gun Sound?
The crosswalks in San Francisco, and many other Bay Area towns, play a 'machine gun' sound when the 'walk' sign is illuminated for pedestrians. A Bay Curious…
Bay CuriousWhat Are Those Grids of Glass in the Sidewalk — And Why Are They Purple?
Listener Britt McEachern is a tour guide in San Francisco, and spends a lot of time walking around city streets. He's noticed grids of glass embedded in the…
Bay CuriousRising Seas and Sinking Land: The Precarious Future of Treasure Island
This is the second part of our series on Treasure Island. Listener Gary Pilgrim was taking a drive across the Bay Bridge with his new wife when they decided to…
Bay CuriousBetween Romance and War: the Making of Treasure Island
Listener Gary Pilgrim was taking a drive across the Bay Bridge with his new wife when they decided to stop at Treasure Island. After taking in the sweeping…
Bay CuriousHow Charlie Chaplin and Silent Films Flourished in the East Bay
Question asker José Muñoz wants to know more about the storied history of this place, which was a pivotal stop-off in Charlie Chaplin's career. Was Niles…
Bay CuriousA Look Back at the Occupation of Alcatraz, 50 Years Later
The Occupation of Alcatraz began on Nov. 20, 1969, when a group of Native American students, calling themselves the Indians of All Tribes, landed on Alcatraz…
Bay CuriousWhy Is There A Texas Flag Outside S.F. City Hall? What is S.F.’s First Square?
Kevin Platt was checking out a flag display outside San Francisco's city hall when he noticed the flag from his home state, Texas, was among them. What gives?…
Bay CuriousThink the Bay Used to Be Bluer? You're Not Imagining It
When Bay Curious listener Justin Hartung was growing up in Oakland, he remembers the Bay being blue. After moving to New York for college in the early 90s, and…
Bay CuriousIt's Our Birthday! Come Behind the Scenes
To celebrate the third birthday of the Bay Curious podcast we are answering listener questions about our favorite episodes, how we make the show, our theme…
Bay CuriousSecret Tunnels Under San Francisco?
San Francisco is 49 square miles, but contains more than 1,000 miles of sewer mains, running under every block. Take a trip with Bay Curious reporter Carly…
Bay CuriousWhy Can't You Swim in Most of the Bay Area Lakes?
The Bay Area is defined by water. Not just by the bay itself, but by the Pacific Ocean and myriad rivers, reservoirs, lakes and ponds. Yet most of the bodies…
Bay CuriousHow Rocky Road Ice Cream Got Its Start in Oakland
Two Oakland ice cream makers claim they invented the famous flavor — Fenton's Creamery and Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream. Either way, the depression-era creation…
Bay CuriousYou Gotta Check Out These Offbeat Museums
Our first stop is the Bay Model in Sausalito, a roughly 1.5-acre model of the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta system. We visit The…
Bay CuriousDo Preserved Bodies Dwell in Lake Tahoe's Depths?! The Truth Behind Tahoe's Myths
Lake Tahoe is the backyard playground for many in the Bay Area, so earlier this year we asked the Bay Curious audience what questions they had about this…
Bay CuriousSutro Tower’s Journey From Eyesore to Icon
Back in the 1960s, San Francisco had really bad television reception. By many accounts, it was the worst of any city in America. Good reception required a…
Bay CuriousThe State Capitol Almost Moved to Berkeley and All It Got Was This Sweet Bear Fountain
If you’re in Berkeley and wander far enough up Marin Avenue, there’s no doubt you’ll run into the Fountain at The Circle. The grand Beaux Arts fountain has…
Bay CuriousOh, SFO: Why So Delayed? (And What’s With the “O”?)
It might seem like everyone thinks their local airport is the worst of them all: the longest security lines, the worst food, the most delays. But we in the Bay…
Bay CuriousHow the Bay Area Came to be a Hub for Casual Style
On a recent visit to San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House, KQED listener Michelle Morby didn’t like what she saw. In the middle of the champagne-sipping…
Bay CuriousWhy Are There So Many Palm Trees in the Bay Area?
After Joseph Morales, an electrician from Chicago, moved to Emeryville this past winter, he found himself wondering: What’s with all the palm trees in the Bay…
Bay CuriousThink Bay Area Nightlife Ends Early? That Could Be About to Change
Ever had your late night revels ended abruptly by the bartender announcing last call just before 2 a.m. here in the Bay Area? If this strikes a chord, you’re…
Bay CuriousThe Minister of Loneliness, Aristotle And How To Make That Awesome Person Your Friend
Last year, Bay Curious received the question: “How do I make friends?” We tried reaching out to the question asker, but they never responded. However, surveys…
Bay CuriousHow To Find New Friends
There isn’t a clear path on how to make close friends. Some people find making friends even harder than dating. They say with romantic relationships there’s at…
Bay CuriousWhy Isn’t Local Seafood a Bigger Deal in the Bay Area?
Rayan Rafay was prepared to be blown away by Bay Area seafood when he moved here in 2016. After growing up on the East Coast, he had been amazed by the seafood…
Bay CuriousIs Dutch Crunch Bread From the Bay Area?
While the Bay Area is known for its sourdough, it’s often Dutch Crunch that really gets the attention of newcomers. The tasty bread is especially prevalent at…
Bay CuriousWhat’s the Best Way to Get Rid of Your Old Clothes?
Spring cleaning, Marie Kondo-ing, whatever you want to call it — there is a massive purge of clothing coming out of people’s closets right now. Thrift stores…
Bay CuriousYes, Your ‘Tropical’ Mai Tai Was Invented Here in Oakland
You might think the iconic rum cocktail was born in Hawaii. We set off to discover its true roots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit…
Bay CuriousLightning Round: Dead Whales, Expensive Gas and ‘Earthquake Weather’
This week we answer three listener questions: What happens to whale carcasses that wash ashore? Why is gas so expensive in the Bay Area? What is 'earthquake…
Bay CuriousCalifornia Sounds: What’s It Like to Navigate the Bay Area While Blind?
Follow one man through his morning routine to get a taste of what's helpful and harmful for commuters who are blind. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit…
Bay CuriousMarin Was Once Armed With Nuclear Missiles, Luckily They Were Never Deployed
Veterans say the Cold War missile batteries that ringed the Bay Area packed nuclear warheads with a punch that more than equaled the Hiroshima and Nagasaki…
Bay CuriousWhy Are There So Many Crows in the Bay Area?
There are a lot of crows in the Bay Area, but maybe that's not such a bad thing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bay CuriousWhy Wild Turkeys Love the Bay Area’s Suburbs
The turkeys we see today are descendants of birds captured near the Rio Grande in Texas that were brought to California. Learn more about our wild turkeys and…
Bay CuriousThe Not-So-Crystal Clean History of San Francisco’s Drinking Water
As San Francisco's population exploded in the 1850s, speculators looked to cash in by delivering fresh drinking water to the new boomtown. Learn more about…
Bay CuriousHow Old Oakland’s Historic Buildings Survived Decay (and Demolition)
Many of the classic buildings were condemned and padlocked in the 1970s before an architect undertook a massive project to restore them. Learn more about your…
Bay CuriousMeet Charley Parkhurst: The Gold Rush’s Fearless, Gender Non-Conforming Stagecoach Driver
Read our web story: Meet Charley Parkhurst: The Gold Rush’s Fearless, Gender Non-Conforming Stagecoach Driver Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is made…
Bay CuriousFrom Arks to Anchor-Outs: The History of Waterfront Living on Richardson Bay
People have been living for free anchored in Richardson Bay for decades, but living on the water in Marin County goes all the way back to the state's early…
Bay CuriousThe Flying Aircraft Carrier That Once Called Moffett Field Home
If you’ve driven north on 101 through Mountain View, you really can’t miss Moffett Field. Seeing the giant open airfield is one thing — but what really grabs…