Cover: Bone Machine
In the Metro Santa Cruz Summer Guide, we look at how the unheralded heroes behind the scenes make Shakespeare Santa Cruz's 'Hamlet' happen.

Event Horizon: Summertime, and the livin' is busy. So here are our Top 10 picks for the biggest happenings around Santa Cruz County.

You're Not From Around Here, Are You?: A quick guide to staple Santa Cruz attractions for outsiders who want to get in and insiders looking to get out this summer.

Can't We All Just Get a Longboard?: It's a wet jungle out there sometimes, but here at Metro Santa Cruz, our wish is for peace on surf this summer, as a longtime local surfer trips through the ABCs of Santa Cruz area surf spots.

The Offbeaten Path: Do your part to keep Santa Cruz weird by checking out some of the stranger sights of Santa Cruz this summer on our Weird Downtown Walking Tour.

Nüz: Frat Fry.

Maori Moves: A young girl reaches her destiny in 'Whale Rider.'

Once on an Island: In Emanuele Crialese's 'Respiro,' a free-spirited woman fights to breathe free in a tradition-bound village.

Magic Mirah: The cutest voice in indie rock speaks out.

The Rock Show: The KPIG Swine Soiree; Klezmer-Tinged Russian Straight-Legged Romps; Dan Bern.

'Pier' Pressure: Ann Packer's unflinching look at emotional tension and physical trauma has everyone buzzing about 'The Dive From Clausen's Pier.'

The Falafel Monty: Santa Cruz ethno-gastronomists are willing to drop everything for those crunchy spheres of spiced garbanzo paste.

Please don't forget to write! Metro Santa Cruz welcomes letters. Like any great work of art, they should be originals -- not copies of letters sent elsewhere. Include address and daytime phone (for verification purposes only). Letters may be edited for length and clarity or to correct factual inaccuracies known to us. Postal: Metro Santa Cruz Letters, 115 Cooper St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060. Fax: 831/457-5828. Email:

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