Author: KQED

Our question-asker, Sara Russell, grew up hearing stories from her mother about how Irish Coffee was invented in San Francisco. Now, she wants to know if that story is totally accurate.

Additional Reading:

•  The True History of Irish Coffee and Its San Francisco Origins
• Send us your COVID stories! Record yourself on your smartphone and email: baycurious@kqed.org
• Or, leave us a voicemail: 415-553-3334

Reported by Oliva Allen-Price and Kelly O'Mara. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, and Vinnee Tong. Special thanks this week to voice actors Brian Watt, Paul Lancour and John Dunleavy.

A year into the coronavirus pandemic there's hope on the horizon. It's too soon to know the lasting impacts on the Bay Area, but we asked experts in mental health, transportation and education to try and predict what we might expect in our day-to-day lives as we slowly emerge from this crisis.

Additional Reading:

• How Will A Year of Pandemic Learning Impact Bay Area Schools Long Term?
• As Battle Over Reopening San Francisco Schools Turns Ugly, Equity Emerges as Fault Line
• It Was Hard Already, Then It Got Worse: Resources For Coping Right Now

We want to hear YOUR story for an upcoming episode: How has your life changed under COVID-19?

• Record yourself on your phone and send it to us: baycurious@kqed.org
• Or leave us a voicemail at 415-553-3334

Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong, and Don Clyde.

California is the most expensive state to build affordable housing in part because the costs to build are high. Some builders are turning to modular, prefabricated housing as a way to speed up production and rethink the way we've traditionally built in the Bay Area.

Additional Reading:

• The Bay Area Has a Housing Crisis (Obviously.) Could Prefab Be the Answer?
• 5 Reasons It's So Expensive To Build Housing In California
• Take KQED's podcast survey!

Reported by Molly Solomon and Erin Baldassari. Edited by Erika Kelly. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho, Rob Speight and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

The coronavirus vaccine rollout in California has felt chaotic, in part because the state has changed course several times. Many Bay Area residents are wondering when and how they can get vaccinated. And what do all the changes mean for getting the most vulnerable people vaccinated?

Additional Reading:

• California Debates Speed Versus Equity in Vaccine Distribution Plan
• Where Can I Get A COVID-19 Vaccine In The Bay Area? Your Questions Answered
• KQED.org/podcastsurvey

Reported by April Dembosky. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

On this week's episode, Olivia says goodbye (temporarily!) as she gets ready to welcome a new baby to the Bay! But don't fret, Bay Curious producer Katrina Schwartz will be hosting the show while Olivia's away. We'll learn all about Katrina's roots in San Francisco and the thing that made the city finally feel like home.

Additional Reading:

• Bay Curious Podcast Listeners: We've Got Some Changes For You
• What's The Story Behind The Wrecked Car On Mount Tamalpais? (video)

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

Want to know what time it is? These days, it's as easy as looking at your phone. But before the digital age, Bay Area residents could dial POP-CORN or 767-2676 to hear a woman's recorded voice giving the time. Bay Curious unpacks the human history of this now obsolete telephone service.

Additional Reading:

•  You Used To Be Able to Call POP-CORN And Get the Time. What Happened To That?

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

In just two-and-a-half years the utility’s equipment started more than fifteen-hundred fires, a Wall Street Journal investigation found. Some of those were small, but others were deadly, like the 2018 Camp Fire, which burned the town of Paradise to the ground and killed 85 people. The Camp Fire caused about $16.5 billion in damages.

Additional Reading:

• KQED coverage on PG&E
• 'Deflect, Delay, Defer': Decade of PG&E Wildfire Safety Pushback Preceded Disasters
• Why Doesn't PG&E Bury the Power Lines to Prevent Wildfires?

Reported by Amanda Stupi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Jim Bennett and Paul Lancour. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey and Vinnee Tong.

Listener Ben Kaiser loves watching films shot and set in San Francisco, and is looking for some recommendations. This episode features Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle culture critic, and host of the Total SF podcast; and Carly Severn, KQED's resident movie obsessive and senior engagement editor.

Additional Reading and Listening:

• Share your favorite Bay Area movies in our Facebook discussion
• QUIZ: How Many of These Bay Area Movie Locations Can You Spot?
• Subscribe to the Total SF podcast: Apple Podcasts, Spotify
• Listen to The Cooler podcast archive: Apple Podcasts, Spotify

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

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, 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, Katie McMurran and Paul Lancour. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey and Vinnee Tong.

We've got food on the mind this week, so are bringing back one of our all-time favorite episodes! Dig into the science behind San Francisco sourdough, and get to know the bacteria that shares our name: Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis.

Additional Reading:

• What Makes San Francisco Sourdough Unique?

Reported by Julia Scott. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey and Vinnee Tong.