

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

Jul 14, 2022 • 18min
Why Were Many SF Hospitals Once Affiliated With Ethnic Groups?
Bay Curious listener Ken Katz noticed that many of San Francisco's current hospitals used to have names affiliated with ethnic groups, like the French hospital or the German hospital. We wondered why that trend existed and when it changed.Additional Reading:
Why Were Many SF Hospitals Once Affiliated With Ethnic Groups?
Cast your vote in the next voting round
Reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, April Dembosky, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett, Vinnee Tong, Ethan Lindsey and Holly Kernan.

Jun 30, 2022 • 20min
The WWII Prison Camp in Pacifica That's Been Largely Erased
Sharp Park in Pacifica was the site of a prison camp during World War II, where residents deemed "highly dangerous" were sent. It's lesser-known than the larger Northern California camps, like Tanforan or Tule Lake. In this episode, we learn what is known about this camp, and get to know some of the people who passed through its gates.Additional Reading:
Pacifica’s WWII Prison Camp Has Been Largely Erased, But It Was There
The Little-Known History of Japanese Internment on Angel Island
Reported by Adhiti Bandlamudi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett, Vinnee Tong, Ethan Lindsey and Holly Kernan.CORRECTION: An earlier version of this episode included an inaccurate statement about Japanese allies. It has been corrected. We regret the error.

Jun 23, 2022 • 16min
The Sizzler: The California Origin Story Behind One of India’s Flashiest Dishes
Take any popular dish – pizza, ice cream, hot dogs – and try to trace its origin story. Chances are, you’re going to go on a winding road with conflicting accounts of who actually invented the dish, or whether it was invented by one, single person at all. KQED’s Silicon Valley reporter Adhiti Bandlamudi recently ate a dish so mish-mashed with foods from different countries, that she found herself on a food origin story journey that led her across the world and then back to the Bay Area. Additional Reading:The Sizzler: The California Origin Story Behind One of India’s Flashiest DishesReported by Adhiti Bandlamudi. Special thanks to Victoria Mauleon, Sasha Khokha and Suzie Racho for their work on this story. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett, Vinnee Tong, Ethan Lindsey and Holly Kernan.

Jun 16, 2022 • 18min
How San Francisco and Ed Hardy Gave Rise to the Custom Tattoo
San Francisco has left a mark on American tattoo history. In today's episode, we learn about longtime Bay Area resident Ed Hardy's impact on the industry, and the evolution of tattooing in America. Share photos of your custom tattoo with us on Twitter using the hashtag #BayCurious or tweet them to @oallenprice.Additional Reading:
Are You Inked? How a San Francisco Tattoo Artist Changed the Industry
KQED Spark video on Ed Hardy
Reported by Sebastian Miño-Bucheli. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli, Chris Hoff and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett, Vinnee Tong, Ethan Lindsey and Holly Kernan.

Jun 9, 2022 • 17min
Was Monterey Jack Cheese Created in Pacifica?
Monterey Jack cheese get its name from the nearby city of Monterey, but the city of Pacifica alleges it should really be called Pacifica Jack. On this week's episode, we get into the origin story behind this basic pantry cheese.Additional Reading: Move Over Monterey? Pacifica Lays Claim to Iconic Jack CheeseReported by Christopher Beale. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett, Ethan Lindsey and Vinnee Tong.

Jun 3, 2022 • 15min
S.F.’s AIDS Memorial Grove is a Place Like No Other
Dawn Linhardt lives near Golden Gate Park and often wanders through the AIDS Memorial Grove at its eastern end. She finds it to be one of the most tranquil and secluded places in the park and wanted to know more about how it came to be. It's the story of a community finding new ways to come together and overcome loss.Additional Reading:
Healing Through Nature at the National AIDS Memorial Grove
A Very Curious Walking Tour of Golden Gate Park
Reported by Amanda Stupi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Jun 2, 2022 • 12min
Does Anyone Play Polo at the Golden Gate Park Polo Field Anymore?
These days, the Golden Gate Park Polo Field in San Francisco is probably best known as the home to music festivals like Outside Lands. But for nearly 3 decades, polo matches were a regular sight on the field.Additional Reading:
Does Anyone Play Polo at the Golden Gate Park Polo Field Anymore?
Buy Tickets for our Japanese Tea Garden Walking Tour
Reported by Ryan Levi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Thanks also to Sarah Rose Leonard, Lance Gardner, Kyana Moghadam, Amanda Font and Rebecca Kao for their help on this series.

Jun 1, 2022 • 17min
Golden Gate Park's Windmills Were Essential, Then Abandoned for Decades.
The Murphy Windmill is one of the largest windmills outside of Holland. It, along with the smaller and older Dutch Windmill, once provided essential water for irrigating the park. Though they are no longer used, the park still spins them on special occasions. We take a tour inside!Additional Reading:
Golden Gate Park's Windmills Were Essential, Then Abandoned for Decades
Buy Tickets for our Japanese Tea Garden Walking Tour
Take a DIY walking tour of Golden Gate Park with our guide
Reported by Suzie Racho. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Thanks also to Sarah Rose Leonard, Lance Gardner, Kyana Moghadam, Amanda Font and Rebecca Kao for their help on this series.

May 31, 2022 • 18min
The Complicated Origins of S.F.'s Beloved Japanese Tea Garden
The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park was originally built as a temporary exhibit for the California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894. But the public loved it so much that it became a permanent fixture of the park. It boasts a tasty claim to fame in the origins of the fortune cookie.Additional Reading:
The Japanese Tea Garden: A Beloved S.F. Landmark With A Troubling Past
Unwrapping the California Origins of the Fortune Cookie
Join us for a walking tour of the Japanese Tea Garden with Sango Tajima
Take our DIY "Very Curious Golden Gate Park Walking Tour"
Reported by Olivia Allen-Price and Suzie Racho. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Amanda Font, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

May 30, 2022 • 13min
Meet The Bison Herd of Golden Gate Park
Bison once roamed the West, but settlers hunted them to the brink of extinction in the 19th century. A captive breeding program operated in Golden Gate Park helped the species rebound. Today’s bison aren’t used for breeding anymore, but they remain one of the park’s popular attractions.Additional Reading:
What's With the Bison in Golden Gate Park?
How Bison are Saving America's Lost Prairie
Buy Tickets for our Japanese Tea Garden Walking Tour
Take a DIY walking tour of Golden Gate Park with our guide
Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Thanks also to Sarah Rose Leonard, Lance Gardner, Kyana Moghadam, Amanda Font and Rebecca Kao for their help on this series.