The science behind man’s best friendship There is just something about the human-dog relationship that transcends the species gap and feels eerily, but positively human. What’s up with that, dog? A recently published study in the research journal Science shows that humans bond to dogs—and they bond to humans—in the same biochemical way that humans bond...

Survey shows support for Coast Dairies, but neighbors have more questions The rolling hills above Davenport, yellowed by three years of low rainfall, look out over the Pacific Ocean. Pine and redwood trees dot the upper skyline, where the piercing cries of hawks ring out. “Just wait until there’s water,” says Noel Bock, leader of the Davenport North Coast Association....

Local videographer helps people save memories for future generations At age 88, Capitola resident Doree Steinmann is making memories, but not just her own. She’s helping others preserve their life stories with her new project, Video Memories; interviews preserved for families on DVDs, to keep as a remembrance. “My career has included interviewing various people about...

Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Danzig and the intersection of music mythologies On the telephone, Will Oldham—better known to a generation of music fans as Bonnie “Prince” Billy—is telling me that “it’s very easy to quote certain Danzig lyrics.” As proof, he begins to recite “All Hell Breaks Loose,” from Danzig’s legendary horror-punk band the Misfits: “Walls start...

Discovering the singer-songwriter whose songs have inspired the biggest names in music Most people have heard a John Hiatt song, whether they know it or not. They’ve been covered by heavyweights from across an array of musical genres—from Bruce Springsteen to Bonnie Raitt to B.B. King to Iggy Pop. But far fewer have heard Hiatt’s own...

SURVIVING SYRIA As news reports offer images of thousands of Syrians escaping war-torn areas by foot, pushing onto packed trains and risking overcrowded boat journeys, there are some stories with happy endings. The Syrian family highlighted in a GT cover story (“Courage Under Bombs,” Oct. 2, 2013) has now made their way to Germany. Suha, her...

Tucked away on the Westside, Café Iveta is famous for its scones Café Iveta is a hidden gem—as in, it’s actually kind of hidden, and you might not know about it if you’re not standing right in front of it. They sell coffee, breakfast and sandwiches, and most importantly, their signature scones. Since 1998, Iveta has...

Johnny Depp gets sinister in bloody true-crime drama ‘Black Mass’ In between lucrative stints as Captain Jack Sparrow, Johnny Depp has had an unfortunate run of film roles lately. So it’s good to be reminded with a movie like Black Mass that, yes, Depp can act (not just decorate the scenery with entertaining shtick). Depp gets...

The season’s last two farm-fresh dinners at Chaminade, plus a favorite new pizza flavor Chaminade’s upcoming Farm to Table wine dinner celebrates a long, warm growing season with some intriguing flavor combos from the skillful hands of Executive Chef Kirsten Ponza. Almost nothing beats the view and ambiance in the romantic back patio of the historic...

Jane McGonigal explains how video games can improve the real world Jane McGonigal started graduate school at UC Berkeley in the fall of 2001, intending to study how physicists collaborate. Then 9/11 happened, and a group of gamers with whom she’d spent the previous year playing an online game began to discuss ways they could use...