North Branch welcomes KQED podcast host Olivia Allen-Price to discuss her new book Bay Curious: Exploring the Hidden True Stories of the San Francisco Bay Area. Copies of Bay Curious will be available for purchase from Pegasus Books at the event.
While many people know that “If you're going to San Francisco, Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair” they may not know that the San Francisco Bay Area is also the home to America’s first and only emperor; the birthplace of the Mai Tai, the slang term “hella,” and the “420” cultural phenomenon; as well as the final resting place of a ghost fleet of ships that lie under the city. Inquisitive fans of the Bay Area will find out these and more fascinating facts in the new book Bay Curious: Exploring the Hidden True Stories of the San Francisco Bay Area. Inspired by the podcast of the same name from KQED, one of the nation’s largest public radio stations, and authored by host Olivia Allen-Price, Bay Curious goes beyond the basics and delves deep into hidden Bay Area trivia, history, and culture.
One need not be a local to appreciate the stories behind Marin’s redwood forests, the Winchester Mystery House, the Black Panther Party’s school program, and the contentious nickname, Frisco. Bay Curious gives you entertaining and informative, weird and wonderful true stories of this unique region. How were the entries chosen? Allen-Price explains, “After our first story aired—about an abandoned car on Mount Tamalpais—listeners wrote in to tell us how thrilled they were to learn the answer to a question they’d long wondered about. Hundreds of questions poured in overnight. That’s when I knew Bay Curious was onto something.” The book revisits some of the favorite episodes and explores totally new topics not yet
covered in the podcast.
With explorations into unique local legends, interesting landmarks, and uncovered histories, Bay Curious is a fun, quirky guide to the secret stories of the San Francisco Bay Area for visitors, newcomers, and California natives alike.
About the Author
Olivia Allen-Price is the editor and host of KQED's Bay Curious podcast. With previous roles at The Baltimore Sun and The Virginian-Pilot, she has more than a decade of experience in journalism and digital media. Olivia is an avid runner and hiker and loves exploring the Bay Area she now calls home.
About the Bay Curious Podcast
Bay Curious is an award-winning KQED podcast series that explores listeners’ questions about the Bay Area – and the adventures we find when we go looking for those answers. Host Olivia Allen-Price explores all aspects of the Bay Area – from the debate over the term "Frisco", to whether Lake Merritt could ever be swimmable, to the dinosaurs that once roamed our hills, to the causes of homelessness. Whether you lived in the Bay Area your whole life, or just arrived, Bay Curious will deepen your understanding of this uniquely fascinating place you call home. Visit kqed.org/baycurious to start listening and finding answers today!
Olivia will be joined by Katrina Schwartz, a journalist based in San Francisco. She's worked at KPCC public radio in LA and has reported on air and online for KQED since 2010. She covered how teaching and learning is changing for MindShift between 2012 and 2020. She has produced and edited KQED's Bay Curious podcast, and is currently serving as Senior Editor of The California Report Magazine, a weekly documentary program that runs statewide.