Bay Curious

For generations, parents have been taking their young kids to Children's Fairyland, a storybook-themed amusement park next to Oakland's Lake Merritt. So what's the 'Once upon a time...' of this beloved East Bay cultural gem, which may even have inspired Walt Disney? Reporter Pauline Bartolone takes a journey with her own little one to learn about Fairyland's 72-year history. Additional Reading: The Future Looks Bright for Children's Fairyland, as It Seeks to Better Reflect Oakland's Cultural Rainbow Read a transcript of this episode The Bay Curious book is out now! Get your copy. Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Pauline Bartolone. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

High School—It's a pretty wild time in our lives. You're still growing and figuring out who you are, while juggling schoolwork, relationships, responsibilities, and rapidly-approaching adulthood. As part of KQED's Youth Takeover week, four high school students have been sharing audio diaries with us over the past few months. They let us into what's happening in their lives, and all the joys and heartbreaks of being a teenager. Additional Reading: Inside the Lives of Four Bay Area Teens Read a transcript of this episode Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts Thank you to our youth contributors: Emiliano Mejia, Yulieth Aguilar, Carlos Escala and Finn McDonald. And thanks to KQED Youth Media Program Manager Amanda Vigil and Specialist Emiliano Villa. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a wet winter, California hillsides are carpeted with wildflowers — especially our glowing, golden orange state flower, the California Poppy. In honor of this super-bloom, we're reprising our episode from 2017 about a rumor concerning these little beauties: that it's illegal to pick them. Reporter Jessica Placzek helps us answer that question, and discovers more about them and their use by indigenous peoples. Additional Reading: Can You Go To Jail For Picking California's State Flower? Read a transcript of this episode Hear our episode about how 420 became synonymous with smoking weed Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest This episode was reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is made at KQED by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Brendan Willard and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Paul Lancour, Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During California's Gold Rush when miners flocked to the Bay Area, so too did people selling goods to those fortune seekers. One of these businesses grew to become a historic Union Square department store that brought a taste of French finery to those San Franciscans who could afford it. Reporter Christopher Beale explores the origins and legacy of the 100+ year run of 'City of Paris.' Additional Reading: How the City of Paris Department Store Once Embodied 'All Things French' for San Franciscans Read a transcript of this episode Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Christopher Beale. Special thanks this week to Raphaël Timmons. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you live in a city, you've likely noticed that it's kind of difficult to see the stars at night through the glow of artificial lighting. That urban lighting bubble is getting brighter every year. So what can we do about it? KQED Science reporter Sarah Mohamad shines the light on light pollution, and where you can still go connect with the cosmos. Additional Reading: In Search of Bright Stars: Can the Bay Area Reduce its Worsening Light Pollution? Read a transcript of this episode here Get tickets to our Bay Curious book launch variety show! Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest This episode was reported by Sarah Mohamad. Bay Curious is made at member-supported KQED by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, and Christopher Beale. Special thanks to Paul Lancour and Kevin Stark. Additional support from Carly Severn, Cesar Saldaña, Jen Chien, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s a stretch of Highway 101 between South San Francisco and Candlestick Park where the road gets very straight and runs right next to the Bay. Even though there are lot of 'No Parking' signs in the area, some people are willing to risk a ticket for the good fishing in that particular spot. What are they catching, and what other treasures are fisher folk pulling out of San Francisco Bay and beyond? We sent producer Katrina Schwartz out to reel in the answer, and dip her own toes into the water. Additional Reading: Why Do People Fish off Highway 101 Near Brisbane? Read a transcript of this episode Get tickets for the Bay Curious book launch! This episode was reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia-Allen Price, Amanda Font, and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Paul Lancour, Cesar Saldaña, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The greater Bay Area is surrounded by a lot of commercial farmland, whether it's vineyards in Napa or strawberries in Watsonville. But there are also a number of urban farms—plots of land, or even rooftop gardens, that lie within big cities. With land at a premium, how can these small growers afford to grow food in an urban environment? Reporter Dana Cronin visits a few to find out. Additional Reading: Bay Area Land Is So Expensive. How Do Urban Farms Survive? Read a transcript of this episode here Get tickets for the Bay Curious book launch! This episode was reported by Dana Cronin. Bay Curious is made by Olivia-Allen Price, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale, Katherine Monahan and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Paul Lancour, Cesar Saldaña, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The iconic Castro Theatre in San Francisco's historic LGBTQ+ neighborhood is more than just a movie theatre — it's a movie palace. No one denies its cultural importance and landmark status, but there has been debate over the fate of its interior, specifically its seats, after management was taken over by Bay Area-based Another Planet Entertainment. Reporter Christopher Beale takes us back through the history of this famous theatre, and the fight over its future. Additional Reading: San Francisco’s Castro Theatre: A Cultural ‘Temple’ Facing a Fight for its Future Read a transcript of this episode Play the monthly trivia contest Sign up for our newsletter This episode was reported by Christopher Beale. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Paul Lancour, Cesar Saldaña, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Audio for this episode has be updated to reflect rescheduling of the final landmarking decision date for the Castro Theatre. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re getting a little outside the Bay Area because we’re headed to Folsom, just east of Sacramento. There, you’ll find a state park whose name caught the attention of Pendarvis Harshaw, host of KQED's Rightnowish podcast. On a stretch of shoreline, where the northern end of Lake Natoma meets the American River, is Black Miners Bar. Before June 2022 this spot was called by a different name: Negro Bar. This week on Bay Curious, we're featuring an episode of Rightnowish from their series on land in Northern California, 'From the Soil.' Links to check out: From the Soil: Unfolding the Story of Black Miners Bar Read a transcript of this episode Sign up for our email newsletter Enter our Monthly Trivia Contest, Sponsored by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company This story originally aired on Rightnowish, whose team includes Pendarvis Harshaw, Marisol Medina-Cadena, Chris Hambrick, Ceil Muller and Ryce Stoughtenborough. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Brendan Willard and Katherine Monahan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are hundreds of miles of bike lanes in San Francisco, making it one of the most bike friendly cities in America. But that wasn't the case until the 90s. The transformation was due, in large part, to two groups working without coordination: The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition – an advocacy organization, and Critical Mass – the name of a regular group bike ride. This week, reporter Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman tells the story of how these two groups changed the way people cycle in San Francisco, whether the city liked it or not. Additional Reading: The Night That Changed San Francisco Cycling Forever (KQED) Read a transcript of this episode This story was reported by Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Special thanks to Scott Shafer, Paul Lancour and Dan Brekke for their help with this story, and to Ted White who shared archival audio from his documentaries “We Are Traffic” and “Return of the Scorcher.” Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the Palo Alto Baylands, right on the edge of a marsh, sits a building with a strong resemblance to a boat. Who built it, and why did they go with the nautical theme? KQED's Silicon Valley Editor, Rachael Myrow, hops aboard to find out. Additional Reading: The Building That Looks Like A Boat Off The Coast of Palo Alto Read a transcript of this episode Sign up for our newsletter This story was reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Paul Lancour, Christopher Beale, Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You may have noticed that it has rained a LOT so far this year. All that water got us thinking about some of your water-related questions over the years. Where does all the rain water go? Are there really underground rivers in San Francisco? What happens to the ground squirrels when it rains? Do they… drown? This week on the show, it's a three-question lightning round with producer Amanda Font. Additional Reading: Rodents, Rivers and Runoff: Why Parts of the Bay Area Flood, Where the Water Goes and How Animals Adapt Read a transcript of this episode Submit your squirrel questions to Olivia on Instagram or Twitter Sign up for our newsletter These stories were reported by Amanda Font. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Paul Lancour, Christopher Beale, Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You probably know the broad strokes of the Donner Party Saga: In 1846, a group of migrants traveling to California got stuck in a surprise October snow storm. After exhausting all their resources, they turn to cannibalism to survive. It's a grisly tale ... but the way it's often told is incomplete. We’ll delve into the details many leave behind, and explore what happened to the Donner Party survivors after they escaped the snowy Sierra. This notorious disaster struck deep at the heart of everything California held dear — and came to represent everything it wanted to forget. This story originally aired in 2020 in two parts. This version has been cut and condensed into one part. Additional Reading: Endless Winter: A Fresh Look at the Donner Party Saga, Part 1 Surviving the Donner Party: California, Gold and Lifelong Secrets, Part 2 Read a transcript of this episode Experience the saga as an immersive storytelling event from KQED Live! This story was reported by Carly Severn. Featuring the voices of: Lina Blanco, Gabe Meline, Dan Brekke and Mike Hanlon. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Rob Speight mixed our original episodes. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Anna Vignet, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why would a house have a garage if it was built before cars were available? How come some Bay Area homes have a front door that's technically on the second floor? When did everyone decide to paint their Victorian houses in bright, vivid colors? This week on the show, we answer multiple questions about some of the Bay Area's architectural curiosities. Additional Reading: Why Are There Garages on Bay Area Homes Built Before Cars Existed? Read a transcript of this episode Sign up for the Bay Curious Newsletter This story was reported by Katherine Monahan and Darren Tu. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Paul Lancour, Christopher Beale, Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A UC Berkeley study estimates there are about 38,000 acres of land owned by faith groups in California, an area roughly the size of Stockton, that are largely going unused. Some churches want to build affordable housing on that extra land— but building any kind of housing in California means jumping through a lot of hoops. Reporter Adhiti Bandlamudi finds out what it would take for houses of worship to house people in God's backyard. Additional Reading: California Churches Want to Build Affordable Housing on Their Land, So Why Is It So Hard? Transcript of this episode Preorder the Bay Curious Book! Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org Chronicle Books. International buyers go here! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Adhiti Bandlamudi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Special thanks to Erika Kelly, Christopher Beale and Paul Lancour for their help on this story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For more than a century, people in the Bay Area — and especially the East Bay — have puzzled over the existence of stone walls scattered on ridges from near San Jose north through the Berkeley Hills. Sometimes the walls are built in long straight lines. Sometimes they form angles. Occasionally you’ll find rectangular or circular constructions. "Who built these things? How long ago? And why?" asked listener Eric Haven. It's a tougher question to answer than you might imagine, but reporter Dan Brekke does his best. Learn more Uncovering the Real Story Behind the 'East Bay Mystery Walls' Video: The Real, True Story of the Mystery of the East Bay Walls (YouTube) Sign up for the Bay Curious newsletter Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Dan Brekke. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Paul Lancour, Christopher Beale, Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beth Touchette has lived in Marin County for a long time, and has often seen seen cattle grazing in Point Reyes National Seashore. It's an unusual sight, one not common in National Parks around the United States. She asked Bay Curious: "How did we end up allowing cattle in a national park?" Beth’s question won a voting round on BayCurious.org, and is at the heart of a battle that’s been heating up between environmental groups, ranchers and the National Park Service for years. Additional Reading: Cattle Ranching Has Existed in Point Reyes for a Century. Conservationists Want to Return to a Time Without It. Sign up for the Bay Curious newsletter Follow Olivia on Instagram Transcript of this episode Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Anna Vignet, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For our final episode of the year, Olivia Allen-Price and Katrina Schwartz answer the questions we get most often about the show: How do you choose which questions to answer? How long does it take to make an episode? What's your favorite episode of all time? And more! Join us for a behind-the-scenes chat about the making of the show, plus we'll share some big news about something exciting coming in 2023! Links, in order of being mentioned on the show: How the Filbert Steps Came to Be an Oasis in San Francisco How Did a 184-Foot Shipwreck Wind Up Grounded in the Carquinez Strait? The Sordid Saga of San Francisco's Trash Cans Are You Inked? How a San Francisco Tattoo Artist Changed the Industry Sign up for the monthly Bay Curious Newsletter Feel Like the SF Bay Used to Be Bluer? You're Not Imagining It You Used to Be Able to Call POP-CORN and Get the Time. What Happened to That? Inside Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera's Life in San Francisco Endless Winter: A Fresh Look at the Donner Party Saga The Bay Area During the Ice Age (Think Saber-Tooth Cats and Mammoths) Preorder the Bay Curious Book! Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org Chronicle Books. International buyers go here! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Cesar Saldaña, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the years, many Bay Curious listeners have wondered about how the iconic Transamerica Pyramid came to be. So, in the year of its 50th birthday we bring you the story of a building that was once deemed "architectural butchery," but is now beloved by many. Additional Reading: The Transamerica Pyramid at 50: From 'Architectural Butchery' to Icon San Francisco Chronicle archival photos of the Transamerica Pyramid Sign up for our newsletter! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Carly Severn. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A group of Black ministers convinced a local Richmond developer to build homes that would be available to all Americans, including Black Americans, in the early 1950s long before the Fair Housing Act. We trace the history of that activism and the fate of the community over the decades. Additional Reading: Homes for All: Richmond's 1950s Attempt at Integrated Housing To Place Our Deeds: The African American Community in Richmond, California, 1910-1963 An Exploration of Our History: The Story of North Richmond Sign up for the Bay Curious newsletter Read the transcript here Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Ariana Proehl. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

UC Berkeley graduate student Ziad Shafi was surprised when he arrived in the Bay Area and saw that BART trains only have one route through San Francisco. He'd taken metro trains in Prague, Stockholm and Washington, D.C., where the route maps are shaped like spiderwebs — allowing riders to get in striking distance of anywhere in the city. But BART looks more like a tree. He asked: "Why do four of the five BART lines go all the way from West Oakland to Daly City together?" KQED transit editor Dan Brekke gives us some BART history and offers an outlook for what's next for public transit in the Bay Area. Additional Reading: Podcast Episode: You're Really Really Curious About BART (Apple Podcasts) Podcast Episode: Why Are BART Trains So Loud? (Apple Podcasts) Olivia's Instagram Sign up for the monthly Bay Curious newsletter Read the transcript here. Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Dan Brekke. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bay Area has a vibrant and eclectic music scene, but when Jessica Kariisa moved here last year she couldn’t find many places playing the African dance hits she loves. But African music is her passion, so Jessica went on a mission to find it. You'll definitely want to turn the volume up for this episode! Additional Reading: Finding Musical Gems in the Bay Area’s African Club Scene A longer version of this story first appeared on Afropop Worldwide Read the transcript here Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Jessica Kariisa. It was edited by Victoria Mauleon. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oakland resident Paul Beach cares a lot about recycling. So, he was troubled to hear rumors that all his carefully sorted recyclables might be going into the landfill. He wants to know, how much of our recycling is actually getting recycled? Turns out, when it comes to plastic, not a lot. Additional Reading: 'You Can't Recycle Your Way Out': California's Plastic Problem and What We Can Do About It California's Plastic Problem Prop Fest playlist Listen to a transcript of this episode Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Monica Lam. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Cesar Saldaña, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can spirits really speak to us from beyond death? That's what science editor and skeptic Jon Brooks has been wondering for 27 years, since he and a friend had an experience with a Ouija board that they just can't explain. After losing his mother, Jon decides to dust off the same board he used in 1995 and try to recreate the original experience with as much scientific rigor as one can manage while attempting to contact the dead. Additional Reading: Did I Actually Contact a Dead Person? A Science Editor In Search of His Mother’s Ghost You can read a transcript of the episode here This story was reported by Jon Brooks. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s no question that today, the nine-county Bay Area votes solidly blue. But it hasn’t always been this way. One of the most conservative Republican candidates ever picked, Barry Goldwater, was nominated right here in 1964. So, how did the Bay Area become a bastion of blue? Additional Reading: When and Why the Bay Area Became So Liberal Political Breakdown Podcast Prop Fest Series KQED's 2022 Voter Guide Read a transcript of this episode Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Scott Shafer. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott has lived all over the Bay Area and he still can't get over how different the weather can be from one place to another. He wants to know why the Bay Area has so many microclimates and where they are. And, as a bonus, we ask people in the know if the heat island affect is at play in Bay Area cities. Additional Reading: Why Does the Bay Area Have So Many Microclimates? Why San Francisco Is So Windy and Foggy in the Summer Find a transcript of the episode here Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Daniel Potter. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prop Fest 2022 breaks down all the statewide propositions on your ballot. Proposition 31 is a referendum on a law California legislators passed in 2020 that would ban the sale of favored tobacco products in retail outlets. Additional Reading: KQED Voter Guide Find a transcript of the episode here Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Leslie McClurg. Prop Fest is made by the Bay Curious team, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard, in collaboration with The Bay team, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, and Maria Esquinca. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prop Fest 2022 breaks down all the statewide propositions on your ballot. Proposition 30 is a climate measure meant to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions and fight air pollution. It would do that by taxing people who earn more than $2 million per year and using the revenue for electric vehicle rebates, charging infrastructure and wildfire prevention and suppression programs. Additional Reading: KQED Voter Guide Read a transcript of this episode here Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Kevin Stark. Prop Fest is made by the Bay Curious team, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard, in collaboration with The Bay team, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, and Maria Esquinca. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prop Fest 2022 breaks down all the statewide propositions on your ballot. Proposition 29 would require onsite licensed medical professional at kidney dialysis clinics and establishes other state requirements. Proponents say it's aimed at improving care. Opponents say it's an unnecessary and expensive regulation. Additional Reading: KQED Voter Guide You can find a transcript of this episode here Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Kevin Stark. Prop Fest is made by the Bay Curious team, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard, in collaboration with The Bay team, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, and Maria Esquinca. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Christopher Beale, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prop Fest 2022 breaks down all the statewide propositions on your ballot. Proposition 28 would guarantee a set amount of funding from the general fund goes to arts education. Additional Reading: KQED Voter Guide Find a transcript of this episode here Sacramento Bee interview with Austin Beutner Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Julia McEvoy. Prop Fest is made by the Bay Curious team, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard, in collaboration with The Bay team, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, and Maria Esquinca. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Christiopher Beale, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prop Fest 2022 breaks down all the statewide propositions on your ballot. We're tackling Propositions 26 and 27 in one episode because they overlap in some ways. Propositions 26 and 27 will affect the way sports betting, and some other forms of gambling, are handled in the state of California. Additional Reading: KQED Voter Guide Get a transcript of the episode here Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Guy Marzorati. Prop Fest is made by the Bay Curious team, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard, in collaboration with The Bay team, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, and Maria Esquinca. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prop Fest 2022 breaks down all the statewide propositions on your ballot. Proposition 1 would solidify abortion and reproductive rights into the state constitution. If you thought abortion was already protected in California, you’re not wrong. But today we’ll learn why the California lawmakers who placed this on our ballot want to take things a step further, and we’ll dig into the details that have opponents concerned. Additional Reading: KQED Voter Guide Read episode transcript here Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by April Dembosky. Prop Fest is made by the Bay Curious team, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard, in collaboration with The Bay team, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, and Maria Esquinca. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bay Curious listener Katie Talda recently visited San Francisco's only indoor skating rink, the Church of 8 Wheels. The novelty of skating inside an old Catholic church left her wondering how the building went from house of worship to roller disco. We dig into a bit of San Francisco's skating history, and meet the man behind the Church of 8 Wheels, who's known by many as the 'Godfather of Skate.' Additional Reading: Wanna Try Roller Skating in San Francisco? Better Head to Church Read the transcript here Want more answers to your questions? Sign up for our monthly newsletter! This story was reported by Amanda Font. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we 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. Additional Reading: Idora Park and Playland-at-the-Beach: Bay Area Amusement Parks of a Bygone Era Read the transcript here Want more answers to your questions? Sign up for our monthly newsletter! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Christopher Beale. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bay Curious listener Julia Thollaug is a teacher in the coastal town of Montera. She stumbled on the remnants of a little town called Purissima, just south of Half Moon Bay, and wondered what happened to its residents. It's a ghost town now, but what went on there when it was thriving, and why did it die out? Additional Reading: Purissima: The Ghost Town Hidden Near Half Moon Bay Read the transcript here Sign up for the Bay Curious newsletter for more answers to your questions Submit your question to Bay Curious! If you love Bay Curious, consider donating to KQED podcasts for more great content! This story was reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bay Curious listener Isabel Guajardo has long wondered what the Bay Area would have looked and felt like before European colonization. Specifically, she's curious to know what animals would have thrived here and what happened to them. It's a story of how attitudes about wildlife and land management practices profoundly influenced habitats. Additional Reading: Wolves, Bears and Jaguars: The Lost Animals of the Bay Area A State of Change: Forgotten Landscapes of California by Laura Cunningham As Big Basin Finally Reopens, Indigenous Stewardship Key Among Plans for Park's Rebirth Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by donating to KQED! This story was reported by Amy Mayer. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bay Curious listener Erin Al Gwaiz wanted to know more about the time that famous Mexican artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera spent in San Francisco. In this episode, which originally aired in December, 2020, reporter Marisol Medina-Cadena immerses us in their world — exploring who they were, how they spent their time here, and ultimately how their legacy still resonates today. Additional Reading: Inside Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera's Life in San Francisco Book: Frida in America: The Creative Awakening of a Great Artist Reported by Marisol Medina-Cadena. Frida Kahlo voice acting by Maria Pena. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, and Brendan Willard. Our social video intern is Darren Tu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russell City used to be a thriving community in the 1940s and 50s. But in the 1960s Alameda County and the city of Hayward used eminent domain to seize the land, evict the residents and build an industrial park. We hear stories from former Russell City residents about what it used to be like there. Additional Reading: Remembering Russell City: A Thriving East Bay Town Razed by Racist Government Decades After 'Cultural Genocide,' Residents of a Bulldozed Community Get Apology from Hayward Join us at KQED HQ for a live event featuring music and storytelling from Russell City! Reported by Spencer Whitney and Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you do a lot of walking or hiking in Bay Area, there's a reasonable chance you've stumbled upon a labyrinth—a large, winding, self contained path lined with stones or bricks. Bay Curious listener, Kate, noticed there seemed to be a lot of them in the Bay Area, and wanted to know if there's any connection between them and why there are so many out here. This week, Amanda Font takes us on a journey into the labyrinth. Additional Reading: Why Are There So Many Labyrinths in the Bay Area? Reported by Amanda Font. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listener Nick Loey often drives between the Bay Area and Southern California. He's long wondered about the giant paintings that dot many Central Valley highways depicting scenes of farming and Americana. We talk to the artist who made them famous and get reaction from people living and working in agricultural communities about the art. Additional Reading: Is There A Story Behind Those Giant Paintings Off Central Valley Highways? Yes, and It's Fraught Center for Farmworker Families United Farm Workers Foundation Join us in August for Bay Curious Trivia! We've got two dates: August 23 and 24. Reported by Cesar Saldaña. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Darren Tu, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett, Vinnee Tong, Ethan Lindsey and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Twenty-seven miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Farallon Islands jut out of the Pacific. On the clearest of days, the grouping of 20 islets is visible from shore. We dive into the history of these islands — from their earliest human visitors, to the people who have called them home over the decades. Then, we take a trip to the islands with reporter Izzy Bloom to learn about the animals that are thriving in this wildlife refuge. This episode answers a question from Bay Curious listener Ali Moghaddam. Learn more: In Search of Whales (and Other Creatures) at the Mysterious Farallon Islands Bay Curious: The Gold Rush Delicacy That Started a War—Eggs Video: The Farallon Islands - "California's Galapagos" Reported by Olivia Allen-Price and Izzy Bloom. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Darren Tu 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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