KQED Olivia Allen-Price: Bay Curious

June 1st, 2023

7pm

Bookshop West Portal is supported by a lot of proud and curious San Franciscans. And we are honored to welcome Olivia Allen-Price, the editor and host of the KQED podcast Bay Curious, in celebration of her book Bay Curious: Exploring the Hidden True Stories of the San Francisco Bay Area.

This event is free to attend and will take place at Bookshop West Portal. No registration is necessary, but early arrival is encouraged to get your seat. 

Curious about the San Francisco Bay Area? With explorations into unique local legends, interesting landmarks, and uncovered histories, Bay Curious is a fun, quirky guide to the secret stories of the Bay Area for visitors, newcomers, and California natives alike

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.

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.

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