Bay Curious

On a recent visit to San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House, KQED listener Michelle Morby didn’t like what she saw. In the middle of the champagne-sipping, pre-performance throng, she spotted someone wearing jeans and white sneakers. “That to me is completely offensive,” Morby said. Morby is someone who likes to dress up when she goes out. “If I got a ticket to the opera tonight, I would pull ou...

After Joseph Morales, an electrician from Chicago, moved to Emeryville this past winter, he found himself wondering: What’s with all the palm trees in the Bay Area? Like Joseph, they didn’t originate here. But they’re all over the place. Not that Joseph minds. “They remind me of vacation,” he says, “having a good time with a cold drink and sitting under a palm tree.” Then again: “Northern Californ...

Ever had your late night revels ended abruptly by the bartender announcing last call just before 2 a.m. here in the Bay Area? If this strikes a chord, you’re not alone. California’s 2 a.m. last call frustrates a lot of people. KQED listener Tara Downey even gets a little embarrassed by it when out-of-town friends visit. “I have friends that live in New York, and so when they come back here it’s a...

Last year, Bay Curious received the question: “How do I make friends?” We tried reaching out to the question asker, but they never responded. However, surveys show many Americans often feel lonely, and a lot of those lonely people also feel socially isolated. Last episode we found tips for finding potential friends. This week we talk about how to make friend crushes closer, Aristotle’s ideas about...

There isn’t a clear path on how to make close friends. Some people find making friends even harder than dating. They say with romantic relationships there’s at least some semblance of steps: You ask a person out, you go out again, maybe you keep going on dates, maybe one person isn’t feeling it and the relationship ends, or perhaps both people are feeling it, you talk and then make your relationsh...

Rayan Rafay was prepared to be blown away by Bay Area seafood when he moved here in 2016. After growing up on the East Coast, he had been amazed by the seafood he encountered when he moved to Vancouver, British Columbia. “It’s just this like magical wonderland of seafood,” he said. “Chefs just did things with seafood on the West Coast that I’d never even imagined in my lemon butter world of fish.”...

While the Bay Area is known for its sourdough, it’s often Dutch Crunch that really gets the attention of newcomers. The tasty bread is especially prevalent at local sandwich shops. Where did it come from? How is it made? In this episode of Bay Curious, reporter Amanda Font bakes us an answer. Find the web story, including images of the baking process: Why Does Dutch Crunch Seem to be the Best Kept...

Spring cleaning, Marie Kondo-ing, whatever you want to call it — there is a massive purge of clothing coming out of people’s closets right now. Thrift stores across the country have reported unprecedented surges in their clothing donations. Bay Curious listener Ellen wants to know: What can you do with used clothing? What if it’s not suitable for donation sites? Can you recycle the material in the...

You might think the iconic rum cocktail was born in Hawaii. We set off to discover its true roots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we answer three listener questions: What happens to whale carcasses that wash ashore? Why is gas so expensive in the Bay Area? What is 'earthquake weather' and is it real? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Follow one man through his morning routine to get a taste of what's helpful and harmful for commuters who are blind. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Veterans say the Cold War missile batteries that ringed the Bay Area packed nuclear warheads with a punch that more than equaled the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs combined. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are a lot of crows in the Bay Area, but maybe that's not such a bad thing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The turkeys we see today are descendants of birds captured near the Rio Grande in Texas that were brought to California. Learn more about our wild turkeys and hear the story of a turkey that broke into prison. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As San Francisco's population exploded in the 1850s, speculators looked to cash in by delivering fresh drinking water to the new boomtown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many of the classic buildings were condemned and padlocked in the 1970s before an architect undertook a massive project to restore them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Read our web story: Meet Charley Parkhurst: The Gold Rush’s Fearless, Gender Non-Conforming Stagecoach Driver Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran, Rob Speight, Suzie Racho, Paul Lancour and Ryan Levi. Additional support from Julie Caine, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and David Weir. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question...

People have been living for free anchored in Richardson Bay for decades, but living on the water in Marin County goes all the way back to the state's early days. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve driven north on 101 through Mountain View, you really can’t miss Moffett Field. Seeing the giant open airfield is one thing — but what really grabs the eye is the larger-than-life birdcage-looking structure known as Hangar One. This week on the show, we learn why the airfield was built, what majestic airship that was once house there, and what’s going on at Moffett Field now. Read the we...

Piedmont is surrounded on all sides but the city of Oakland, yet has remained an independent city since it incorporated in the the late 1800s. We take a closer look at the wild circumstances that lead Piedmont to form, and discuss some of the tensions that exist between Oakland and Piedmont residents today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We answer three listener questions: Where do kids live in the Bay Area? Why does Palo Alto have two downtowns? And what's with the 'weeping women' statues at the Palace of Fine Arts? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve ever driven northbound on Interstate 280 through Hillsborough, you’ve surely seen The Flintstone House from the highway. A cluster of orange and purple tubular domes, the home is reminiscent of the 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon. The house has always had it’s fans and detractors, but recent renovations have sparked controversy, and prompted the city of Hillsborough to sue the homeowner and ...

The barrel of free red delicious apples have been a mainstay of the iconic San Francisco music venue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The San Francisco Bay is full of boats, but do you know what most of them actually do? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This mysterious (and super-strong) cocktail cost $25 — and drove 19th century San Francisco wild. Why? It was probably the secret ingredient, that could get you jail time if you used it today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices