

Bay Curious
KQED
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
Mentioned books

Aug 28, 2025 • 18min
Amusement Parks of Yore: Playland-at-the-Beach and Idora Park
Summer is coming to an end, so we're taking a journey back in time to remember two amusement parks that have etched themselves into the imaginations of generations of Bay Area residents: Idora Park in Oakland and San Francisco's Playland at the Beach. This story originally aired in September of 2022, but we're bringing it back to celebrate the end of summer.
Additional Resources
Idora Park and Playland-at-the-Beach: Bay Area Amusement Parks of a Bygone Era
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This story was reported by Christopher Beale. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Olivia Allen-Price, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Alana Walker, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.

Aug 21, 2025 • 26min
Reversing Extinction? Sea Otters and Butterflies Hold Clues
The Bay Area is a biodiversity hotspot, home to species found nowhere else on Earth. But decades of urbanization have pushed many of these animals — and the ecosystems they depend on — to the edge. Can science bring them back? In this episode, we examine the remarkable comeback of the southern sea otter and an ongoing effort to resurrect the long lost Xerces blue butterfly.
Additional Resources:
Is Extinction Permanent? Resurrecting California's Xerces Blue Butterfly
Healthy Otters Lead to a Happy Ecosystem in Monterey County's Elkhorn Slough
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This story was reported by Gabriela Glueck. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Olivia Allen-Price, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Alana Walker, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.

Aug 14, 2025 • 20min
Are Seagulls Native to the Bay Area?
Seagulls are everywhere in the Bay Area — flocking to Giant's games in San Francisco and crowding South Bay salt ponds. But are they actually native? Once seasonal visitors from Mono Lake, they've recently become year-round residents. We get to the bottom of this gull invasion.
Additional Resources:
Are California Gulls Native or Invasive to the Bay Area? Maybe Both
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This story was reported by Pauline Bartolone. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Olivia Allen-Price, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Alana Walker, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.

Aug 7, 2025 • 24min
How Fremont Became Known As 'Little Kabul'
Over the past 40 years, Afghans have steadily immigrated to the East Bay town of Fremont, hoping to start new lives close to others who share their language and culture. We trace four waves of immigration and check in with Afghans who've chosen to settle in Fremont.
Additional Resources:
How Did Fremont Become Known As 'Little Kabul'?
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This story was reported by Asal Ehsanipour. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Olivia Allen-Price, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsay and everyone on Team KQED.

Jul 31, 2025 • 45min
Julia Morgan: A Thoroughly Bay Area Architect
Claudia Falconer, an architect and Julia Morgan enthusiast, and Victoria Kastner, a historian and author with decades at Hearst Castle, dive into the legacy of pioneering architect Julia Morgan. They discuss her architectural innovations and whimsical designs, emphasizing her role in shaping the Bay Area's landscape. Key topics include Morgan's collaboration with Phoebe Hearst, her challenges as a female architect, and her lasting influence in creating community spaces for women. Their conversation celebrates how Morgan's vision continues to inspire today.

Jul 24, 2025 • 18min
How Daly City Became A Filipino Hub
Nearly one in three Daly City residents identify as Filipino, according to 2019 Census data. Bay Curious listener Ricky Tjandra wondered what makes this town just south of San Francisco such an international hub of Filipino life. We dig into more than a hundred years of history between the U.S and the Philippines and talk to current residents of Daly City.
Additional Resources:
In Daly City, the Bayanihan Spirit Is Alive and Well
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How Daly City Became One of the Most Densely Populated Cities in the Country
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This story was reported by Amanda Stupi. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Olivia Allen-Price, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsay and everyone on Team KQED.

Jul 17, 2025 • 13min
What Does It Mean to Live In an Unincorporated Area?
Alameda is the second most populous county in the Bay Area, after Santa Clara. Oakland is the biggest city, but the county stretches all the way out to Livermore in the east and Fremont in the south. It’s a big swath of land and about half of it is unincorporated, including two areas known as Cherryland and Ashland. Bay Curious listener Sam Hopkins wondered what it means for an area to be unincorporated and the history of these two communities.
Additional Resources:
150,000 People Live in Unincorporated Alameda County. What Does That Mean For Them?
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This story was reported by Brian Krans. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Olivia Allen-Price, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsay and everyone on Team KQED.

6 snips
Jul 10, 2025 • 32min
A Summer Trip on the Rails
In this engaging conversation, reporter Lisa Morehouse shares her journey on the California Zephyr, a scenic train route that delves into the rich tapestry of food and history. Learn about the importance of communal dining experiences aboard the train and the significant impact of railroad workers on the Civil Rights Movement. Morehouse also highlights the transformative role of railroads in boosting California's agriculture. The discussion paints a vivid picture of how travel, culture, and social progress are intricately linked.

Jun 26, 2025 • 18min
The Legacy of Alameda's Japanese-American Baseball Team
The island of Alameda has produced some great baseball players. Hall of Fame hitter Willie Stargell even has a street named after him! Some of those ballplayers were Japanese American. In the years between World War I and World War II, the Alameda Taiiku-Kai thrived with great players like Sai Tawata leading the team and the community. Bay Curious listener Sam Hopkins saw a plaque commemorating the team's home plate and wanted to learn more about the team's history.
Additional Resources:
Rediscovering a Japanese-American Baseball Team in Alameda, Nearly Lost to Time
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Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts
Special thanks to the Japanese American National Museum for use of the Topaz prison camp clip. That documentary was a gift of Dave Tatsuno, in Memory of Walter Honderich.
This story was reported by Brian Watt. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Olivia Allen-Price, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Alana Walker, Holly Kernan and everyone on Team KQED.

Jun 12, 2025 • 21min
Transamerica Pyramid: From 'Architectural Butchery' to Icon
The Transamerica Pyramid, located in downtown San Francisco, is a skyline staple. But when it was proposed, people hated the idea of a towering symbol of capitalism so close to neighborhoods like North Beach and Chinatown. Turns out the block where the pyramid stands has a long and storied history. We dig into all that, as well as how public perception of the pyramid's place in the skyline has changed over the past 50 years.
Additional Resources:
The Transamerica Pyramid at 50: From 'Architectural Butchery' to Icon
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This story was reported by Carly Severn. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Olivia Allen-Price, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Alana Walker, Holly Kernan and everyone on Team KQED.