Bay Curious
Download on the App Store
  • Ranking

    36th

    on Places & Travel

  • Favorites

    247

    Followers

  • Typical duration

    19 min

    per episode

Based on Podcast App listening data

Bay Curious episodes

  • Will Oysters Ever Make a Comeback in the Bay?

    The Bay Area is known for great oysters, but the ones grown locally are mostly from up in Marin County. San Francisco Bay used to have a thriving population of native oysters and Bay Curious listener Joseph Fletcher wants to know if they'll ever make a comeback.

    Additional Reading:

    • The Bay Waters Once Teemed With Oysters. What Happened?
    • The Wild Oyster Project

    • Reported by Chloe Veltman. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

      Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

      17 min
    • What Would Happen If Chabot Dam in the East Bay Hills Broke Open?

      The question is a simple but alarming one: If the Lake Chabot dam cracked open in a big earthquake, what kind of flooding should the communities below expect? This week's question asker, Hollyann Vickers Keng, has a vested interest in the answer -- she lives there!

      Additional Reading:

      • A Potential Flood Threat Is Hidden in the East Bay Hills — Chabot Dam
      • Oroville Crisis: Sheriff Called Emergency 'Ugly, Sh**ty Mess'
      • Send us your COVID story by recording yourself on your smartphone and emailing [email protected] or leave us a voice message at 415-553-3334.

      • Reported by Dan Brekke. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

        Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

        19 min
      • The True History of Irish Coffee and Its San Francisco Origins

        Our question-asker, Sara Russell, grew up hearing stories from her mother about how Irish Coffee was invented in San Francisco. Now, she wants to know if that story is totally accurate.

        Additional Reading:

        •  The True History of Irish Coffee and Its San Francisco Origins
        • Send us your COVID stories! Record yourself on your smartphone and email: [email protected]
        • Or, leave us a voicemail: 415-553-3334

        • Reported by Oliva Allen-Price and Kelly O'Mara. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, and Vinnee Tong. Special thanks this week to voice actors Brian Watt, Paul Lancour and John Dunleavy.

          Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

          16 min
        • How COVID Could Change the Bay Area For All of Us

          A year into the coronavirus pandemic there's hope on the horizon. It's too soon to know the lasting impacts on the Bay Area, but we asked experts in mental health, transportation and education to try and predict what we might expect in our day-to-day lives as we slowly emerge from this crisis.

          Additional Reading:

          • How Will A Year of Pandemic Learning Impact Bay Area Schools Long Term?
          • As Battle Over Reopening San Francisco Schools Turns Ugly, Equity Emerges as Fault Line
          • It Was Hard Already, Then It Got Worse: Resources For Coping Right Now

          • We want to hear YOUR story for an upcoming episode: How has your life changed under COVID-19?

            • Record yourself on your phone and send it to us: [email protected]
            • Or leave us a voicemail at 415-553-3334

            • Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong, and Don Clyde.

              Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

              19 min
            • Why It's So Expensive To Build Housing In The Bay Area

              California is the most expensive state to build affordable housing in part because the costs to build are high. Some builders are turning to modular, prefabricated housing as a way to speed up production and rethink the way we've traditionally built in the Bay Area.

              Additional Reading:

              • The Bay Area Has a Housing Crisis (Obviously.) Could Prefab Be the Answer?
              • 5 Reasons It's So Expensive To Build Housing In California
              • Take KQED's podcast survey!

              • Reported by Molly Solomon and Erin Baldassari. Edited by Erika Kelly. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho, Rob Speight and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

                Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

                20 min
              • Why California’s Vaccine Rollout Has Been Chaotic

                The coronavirus vaccine rollout in California has felt chaotic, in part because the state has changed course several times. Many Bay Area residents are wondering when and how they can get vaccinated. And what do all the changes mean for getting the most vulnerable people vaccinated?

                Additional Reading:

                • California Debates Speed Versus Equity in Vaccine Distribution Plan
                • Where Can I Get A COVID-19 Vaccine In The Bay Area? Your Questions Answered
                • KQED.org/podcastsurvey

                • Reported by April Dembosky. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

                  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

                  19 min
                • Olivia's Having a Baby!

                  On this week's episode, Olivia says goodbye (temporarily!) as she gets ready to welcome a new baby to the Bay! But don't fret, Bay Curious producer Katrina Schwartz will be hosting the show while Olivia's away. We'll learn all about Katrina's roots in San Francisco and the thing that made the city finally feel like home.

                  Additional Reading:

                  • Bay Curious Podcast Listeners: We've Got Some Changes For You
                  • What's The Story Behind The Wrecked Car On Mount Tamalpais? (video)

                  • Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

                    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

                    15 min
                  • Calling For Time: Whatever Happened to POP-CORN?

                    Want to know what time it is? These days, it's as easy as looking at your phone. But before the digital age, Bay Area residents could dial POP-CORN or 767-2676 to hear a woman's recorded voice giving the time. Bay Curious unpacks the human history of this now obsolete telephone service.

                    Additional Reading:

                    •  You Used To Be Able to Call POP-CORN And Get the Time. What Happened To That?


                    Reported by Christopher Beale. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

                    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

                    15 min
                  • Why Doesn't PG&E Bury the Power Lines to Prevent Wildfires?

                    In just two-and-a-half years the utility’s equipment started more than fifteen-hundred fires, a Wall Street Journal investigation found. Some of those were small, but others were deadly, like the 2018 Camp Fire, which burned the town of Paradise to the ground and killed 85 people. The Camp Fire caused about $16.5 billion in damages.

                    Additional Reading:

                    • KQED coverage on PG&E
                    • 'Deflect, Delay, Defer': Decade of PG&E Wildfire Safety Pushback Preceded Disasters
                    • Why Doesn't PG&E Bury the Power Lines to Prevent Wildfires?

                    • Reported by Amanda Stupi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Jim Bennett and Paul Lancour. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey and Vinnee Tong.

                      Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

                      19 min
                    • What's the Best San Francisco Movie? A (Sorta) Heated Debate

                      Listener Ben Kaiser loves watching films shot and set in San Francisco, and is looking for some recommendations. This episode features Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle culture critic, and host of the Total SF podcast; and Carly Severn, KQED's resident movie obsessive and senior engagement editor.

                      Additional Reading and Listening:

                      • Share your favorite Bay Area movies in our Facebook discussion
                      • QUIZ: How Many of These Bay Area Movie Locations Can You Spot?
                      • Subscribe to the Total SF podcast: Apple Podcasts, Spotify
                      • Listen to The Cooler podcast archive: Apple Podcasts, Spotify

                      • Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, and Jim Bennett. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

                        Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

                        32 min

                      About Bay Curious

                      From the publisher's feed

                      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…

                      Best of Bay Curious

                      Ranked by our users in the last 21 days

                      More shows like Bay Curious

                      This American Life by This American Life

                      This American Life

                      90,992 Listeners

                      Radiolab by WNYC Studios

                      Radiolab

                      43,853 Listeners

                      Fresh Air by NPR

                      Fresh Air

                      38,008 Listeners

                      The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

                      The New Yorker Radio Hour

                      6,766 Listeners

                      Planet Money by NPR

                      Planet Money

                      30,689 Listeners

                      Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! by NPR

                      Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

                      38,723 Listeners

                      99% Invisible by Roman Mars

                      99% Invisible

                      26,159 Listeners

                      On the Media by WNYC Studios

                      On the Media

                      9,191 Listeners

                      KQED's Forum by KQED

                      KQED's Forum

                      730 Listeners

                      KQED's The California Report by KQED

                      KQED's The California Report

                      395 Listeners

                      Close All Tabs by KQED

                      Close All Tabs

                      114 Listeners

                      MindShift Podcast by KQED

                      MindShift Podcast

                      248 Listeners

                      Code Switch by NPR

                      Code Switch

                      14,656 Listeners

                      The Latest from KQED by KQED

                      The Latest from KQED

                      85 Listeners

                      Political Breakdown by KQED

                      Political Breakdown

                      187 Listeners

                      The Bay by KQED

                      The Bay

                      432 Listeners

                      The California Report Magazine by KQED

                      The California Report Magazine

                      133 Listeners

                      City Arts & Lectures by City Arts & Lectures

                      City Arts & Lectures

                      401 Listeners

                      Throughline by NPR

                      Throughline

                      16,371 Listeners

                      KQED Newscast by KQED News

                      KQED Newscast

                      30 Listeners

                      The Wirecutter Show by The New York Times

                      The Wirecutter Show

                      1,177 Listeners