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PODCAST

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.

society & culture places & travel

All Episodes

19:07

Meet the Duduk Whisperer

Bay Curious ·

2026/02/16

While you might not recognize the name, there’s a good chance you’ve heard the haunting, almost otherworldly sound the duduk makes. This humble shepherd’s flute wandered out of the Armenian countryside and into Hollywood, making cameos on the scores of movies and shows like The Gladiator and The Last Temptation of Christ. The duduk was even recently synthesized on both Dune soundtracks. Audiences in the Bay Area don’t get many chances to hear the instrument live — unless they’re able to catch a

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15:21

The SF Landmark You've Never Heard of...Unless You're...

Bay Curious ·

2026/02/12

There's a blue house in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood that is constantly mobbed by French tour groups. Bay Curious listener Helen Walker wants to know, "why?" This episode first aired in 2023.Additional Resources: The San Francisco Landmark You've Never Heard Of...Unless You're French Read the transcript for this episode Sign up for our newsletter Got a question you want answered? Ask! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to

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18:15

Are We Having a 'Crow-maggedon'?

Bay Curious ·

2026/02/09

Recently, several listeners have written to us wondering about the large flocks of crows they see darkening the skies over the Bay Area at sunset each night. The crows are like clockwork, swarming to the same locations night after night, often hundreds of them at a time. What's going on? We get answers and along the way explore why we're seeing more crows in the Bay Area in recent years and if they are having a negative impact on other bird species.Additional Resources: Is it Crow-maggedon

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21:08

Local Olympians to Cheer For During the Winter Games

Bay Curious ·

2026/02/05

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan start tomorrow and there are a lot of Bay Area athletes representing our region at the games. We sit down with other Olympics super fans to get you amped up about who to root for and hear from some of the athletes themselves.Additional reading Meet the Bay Area Athletes Competing at the Winter Olympics Read the transcript for this episode Sign up for our newsletter Got a question you want answered? Ask! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible

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20:59

The Ukrainian Rebel Priest of Hayward

Bay Curious ·

2026/01/29

High in the Hayward Hills, Ukraina marks the farm and grave of Ukrainian dissident priest Agapius Honcharenko, who fled Russian authorities and settled here with his wife, Albina. These days, his farmstead is marked by a historical placard that caught the eye of our question asker, Tony. Today on the show, we explore the thrilling and noble life of Honcharenko, who life is still celebrated with an annual ceremony.Additional Resources: How a Remarkable 19th-Century Revolutionary Priest From

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25:17

The San Francisco Church Where John Coltrane is a Saint

Bay Curious ·

2026/01/22

There's a church in San Francisco where John Coltrane's music is more than jazz -- it's doctrine. The Coltrane Church, as it’s often called, is the oldest Black jazz organization in San Francisco now. We talk to its founders about the "sound baptism" that jumpstarted the church and learn how it has adapted to a changing San Francisco.Additional Resources: Inside the San Francisco Church Where John Coltrane is a Saint Read the transcript for this episode Sign up for our newsletter Got

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21:36

How a Pacifica Bar Became a Flashpoint for Queer...

Bay Curious ·

2026/01/15

Henry Lie grew up in Pacifica and thought he knew everything there was to know about his hometown, just a few minutes south of San Francisco. So he was shocked to learn about a police raid in the 1950s that targeted LGBTQ+ identifying people. He had never heard of the bar, Hazel's Inn, or that Pacifica had a moment when it was a safe gathering spot for the queer community. He wanted to know more.Additional Resources: How the Bay Area’s Gay Bars Became a Battleground for LGTBQ+ Rights in the

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20:49

How Tiny Homes Once Housed Thousands in San Francisco

Bay Curious ·

2026/01/08

After the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, thousands of San Franciscans were homeless. City leaders needed them to stay in the city to help rebuild, so they built tiny homes and set up villages in neighborhood parks. These earthquake cottages gave many people their first shot at homeownership and helped the city recover. You can still find a few of them dotted around the city if you know what to look for.Additional Resources: San Francisco's Historic 'Relief Cottages,' Built After the 1906

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31:13

A Spirited Debate Over the Best Movies Filmed in SF

Bay Curious ·

2025/12/18

San Francisco is an iconic looking city, so it's a little surprising that more movies aren't shot here. There are a lot of reasons for that -- cost being a main one -- but there are some very cool movies both set and filmed here. Olivia discusses some of the best ones with San Francisco Chronicle writer Peter Hartlaub and resident KQED movie obsessive, Carly Severn.Additional Resources: The Best San Francisco Movies to Stream This Holiday Season Read the transcript for this episode

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20:27

SFO's One-of-a-Kind Art Museum

Bay Curious ·

2025/12/11

Barry Asin flies through SFO about once a month and often stops to take a look at the art exhibits dotted throughout the terminals. He particularly loves the history exhibits that showcase what makes the Bay Area unique, seeing it as a nice welcome to travelers visiting the area. He wants to know more about who curates the exhibits, how they decide what to bring in and what we can expect in the future.Additional Resources: Read the transcript for this episode Why the 'O' In San

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25:43

The Historic Mansion Hidden Under the Bay Bridge

Bay Curious ·

2025/12/04

Tucked under the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge is a once-grand mansion known as the Nimitz House. Bay Curious listener Ben Kaiser wants to know nearly everything about it from who lived in it, to what it might become in the future. Turns out, this weathered home in the middle of San Francisco Bay used to be the quarters of the top Navy commander on Yerba Buena Island and is named for a five-star admiral who died there.Additional Resources: There's a Grand Historic House Hiding Under the

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17:01

Were Chain Stores Once Banned in San Francisco?

Bay Curious ·

2025/11/20

San Francisco is known for its distinct neighborhoods, each with its own shopping street, full of local businesses. Listener Sarah Soule grew up in the city and remembers hearing that San Francisco didn't allow big box stores or chains to open within city limits. But recently she's seen more chains and wonders if that was true. We trace the history of San Francisco's regulation of chain stores and the effect it has had on the city.Additional Resources: San Francisco's Love/Hate Relationship

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16:53

The Girl in the Fishbowl at Bimbo's 365 Club

Bay Curious ·

2025/11/13

Rita Hayworth, Robin Williams, Adele — these are just a few of the huge stars that have graced the stage of Bimbo’s 365 Club over its 94 years in San Francisco. But the act the club is most famous for is Dolphina — or the “Girl in the Fishbowl.” Dolphina isn’t a person, though; she’s a character who’s been played by many different women since 1931. When Dolphinaperforms, it looks like there is a real, live woman, shrunk down to 6 inches, swimming in a fish tank at the bar. How did this quirky act

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18:31

When Biological Weapons Were Secretly Tested in San...

Bay Curious ·

2025/11/06

In 1950, the U.S. military sprayed bacteria over San Francisco as part of a biological weapons test. The test team thought the bacteria it used was harmless, but several people got sick and one person died. We explore the history and impacts of this clandestine operation, now known as Operation Seaspray, on U.S. military policy and one man's family.Additional Resources: The True Story of the Military's Secret 1950 San Francisco Biological Weapons Test Read the transcript for this

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23:53

Who Killed Jane Stanford? Inside A 120-Year-Old Mystery

Bay Curious ·

2025/10/30

Stanford University on the San Francisco peninsula is a rarified place, so its intriguing that even 120 years after her death, there's still a mystery surrounding the death of Jane Stanford, the university's co-founder. It's a story full of tyrants, frenemies, poisoning and cover-ups that you won't want to miss.Additional Resources: Who Killed Jane Stanford? Inside the 120-Year-Old Mystery Read the transcript for this episode Spooky Bay Curious Spotify Playlist Sign up for our

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21:38

Proposition 50, Thoroughly Explained

Bay Curious ·

2025/10/23

California voters have one proposition on the ballot this November: Proposition 50. It's supporters want California to adopt a new congressional map that could give Democrats five more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, a counter to similar actions taken in Texas. Opponents say it's a step in the wrong direction for good governance, or are upset at the potential loss of Republican seats. We wade into the debate with KQED's Guy Marzorati. Additional Reading: ⁠Read a transcript of this

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35:53

The Punk Club That Changed San Francisco

Bay Curious ·

2025/10/16

In San Francisco, Mabuhay Gardens was the epicenter of punk. Located on Broadway at the edge of North Beach and Chinatown, it was ground zero for the city's emerging punk movement in the late 1970s. The Filipino restaurant and nightclub hosted many of the era's most iconic punk bands — including the Avengers, Dead Kennedys, and the Jim Carroll Band. Even punk rock icon Patti Smith took the stage. In this episode, we dig into the history and legacy of the so-called "Fab Mab."Additional

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18:07

Why So Many Motels on Lombard Street?

Bay Curious ·

2025/10/09

Lombard Street is famous for its winding brick lane, but beyond that iconic block lies something unexpected: a stretch of old-school motels. Why so many in one place? This week on Bay Curious, we explore how the growing popularity of automobiles – and the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge – transformed Lombard Street into a bustling hub for motor lodges. Then, we’ll head south to the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge to unpack its history.Additional Resources: Why Are There So Many Motels on San

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18:18

La Llorona: Ghost or Protector? You Decide

Bay Curious ·

2025/10/02

In the popular telling, La Llorona is a ghost. She’s the spirit of a woman who haunts watery places, wailing for her lost children. But as with all stories, the meaning of the myth has changed over time and many people now see La Llorona as a protector. For spooky October, we explore the ghostly myth that frightens children and the more empowering version of the legend.Additional Resources: La Llorona, Legend and Protector, In the Streets of San Francisco Read the transcript for this

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22:28

Bears, Coyotes, Mountain Lions While Hiking or...

Bay Curious ·

2025/09/25

As we go about our lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and explore this beautiful state, it's not uncommon to encounter wild animals. Whether you're hiking in the Santa Cruz mountains and see warnings about mountain lions, or camping in Tahoe where bears have learned human ways, there are some things to know about how to stay safe. KQED's audience desk reporters Sarah Wright and Carly Severn join us with helpful tips about how to coexist in nature with the animals that also call it

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