Bay Curious

Latest Episodes:

Daly City Is One of the Densest Cities in the Country. Why? Jul 29, 2021

Show notes

Daly City is only eight square miles, but it's one of the densest cities in the US. There are a few factors behind this, but one of the most interesting is the design of the houses. But it's not all building hacks in this episode, there's a darker past to some of Daly City's housing too.

Additional Reading:

Reported by Amanda Stupi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho, Brendan Willard, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Chris Hoff. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Lena Blanco, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

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‘It’s Pure Energy’: How Hyphy Came to Define Bay Area Hip Hop Jul 22, 2021

Show notes

When it comes to cultural exports of the Bay Area, Hyphy is in a league of its own. The subgenre of hip hop has an up-tempo, hyperactive beat that makes you want to dance. In the early 2000s, artists like E-40 and Too $hort had audiences around the world loving this distinctly Bay Area sound. But where did that sound come from? And what was Hyphy culture like more broadly?

Today we bring you an episode from KQED's Rightnowish, hosted by Pendarvis Harshaw. He speaks with music producer Trackademicks. Subscribe to Rightnowish for more on Bay Area arts and culture.

Reported by Pendarvis Harshaw. Produced by Marisol Medina-Cadena. Edited by Jessica Placzek and Vanessa Rancano. Engineering by Ceil Muller and Brendan Willard. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Sebastian Miño-Bucheli. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

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Who Were the First People to Live in the Bay Area? Jul 15, 2021

Show notes

Bay Curious listener Héctor Pérez has long wondered about the first people to call the Bay Area home. He wants to know what life was like for them and what happened to them.

Additional Reading:

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

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What Questions Do You Have About the Drought? Jul 08, 2021

Show notes

This summer is shaping up to be really dry. Water officials around the Bay Area are asking people to conserve and wildfires are already burning throughout the state. The Bay Curious team is cooking up some episodes about the situation and we want to hear from you.

Enter your question in the blue box at the top of baycurious.org or leave us a voicemail at 415-553-3334.

Thanks!

The Bay Curious Team

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Trucks are Banned on Oakland’s I-580. These Sixth Graders Wondered Why Jul 01, 2021

Show notes

This week, we take on a question from the sixth graders at East Oakland's Life Academy of Health and Bioscience. Many of them live near Interstate 880. They've seen lots of big rigs on I-880 but none on nearby I-580, which runs parallel but closer to the hills. They want to know why.

Additional Reading:

Reported by Laura Klivans. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kevin Stark, Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Isa Mendoza, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

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Lightning Round! The Bay Area's Arts Innovators Jun 24, 2021

Show notes

It’s arts appreciation week on Bay Curious! We take on questions about the tension between the creative freedom in the Bay vs commercial acclaim in the theater world, dig into the musical legacy of Mills College and find out what happened to Beach Blanket Babylon's outarageous costumes since the musical closed.

Additional Reading:

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

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San Jose Had 5 Chinatowns. Why Did They Vanish? Jun 17, 2021

Show notes

Most Bay Area residents know about the long established Chinatowns in San Francisco and Oakland, but did you know that San Jose used to have a Chinatown? In fact, it’s had FIVE throughout its history. Why isn’t there a Chinatown in San Jose today?

Additional Reading:

Reported by Adhiti Bandlamudi. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Isa Mendoza, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

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The Beautiful Bay Bridge Frank Lloyd Wright Never Got to Build Jun 10, 2021

Show notes

As soon as the Bay Bridge was completed in 1936, people wanted a second bridge. Even back then, traffic was terrible. Did you know the great American architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed a bridge to cross the San Francisco Bay? This week, why Wright's vision for that second bridge never materialized.

Additional Reading:

Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Isa Mendoza, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

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Wait. There's A Volcano in the East Bay Hills? Jun 03, 2021

Show notes

If you head to Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve above Oakland, you might wonder the same thing as Bay Curious listener Bourke MacDonald: How did a volcano form here and why did it go extinct?Today on the show, we’re going hiking to learn more about this Bay Area geological wonder.

Additional Reading:

Reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez.

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The True Story Behind the Myths and Mysteries of Searsville Lake May 20, 2021

Show notes

Bay Curious listener David Mattea grew up in foggy Daly City. He remembers his family driving down the Peninsula to get some sun at a man-made beach on the Stanford campus. He wants to know what happened to it? Well, Searsville Lake is no longer open to the public, but rumors about the place are plentiful, including one about Leland Stanford flooding a town to create it,

Additional Reading:

Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez.

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