Cover Story: Vespa Mania
What the Volkswagen is to the car, the Vespa is to the motorcycle. The old--and new--story of the the little scooter that could.

News: Ix-Nay on The Nics
Law enforcement crackdowns have forced some bars and smokers into an underground, with lookouts, secret chambers and various systems of quick butt disposal. Will these people never quit?

Metropolis News Extras

• Los Gatos: Murder victim graduated from Los Gatos High School in 1993.
  
• Willow Glen: Principal wants to make sure they are prepared if more students show up.
  
• Sunnyvale: Sunnyvale stays ahead of the curve in animal control.

Wonder Brawl: Jealousy undergirds artists' battle over giant braball.

Public Eye: Is augmentationist stretching his luck? Honda to swing through the trees. A friendly slap for Wiretap.

Notes From the Underbelly: A visit to the County Fair.

Work: Reality Check.

Jazz Spread: The San Jose Jazz Society announces the lineup for its annual downtown festival.

Que es lo que pasa con Van Van? Forget mambo, forget cha-cha-cha, songo is the sound of Havana today.

All Shook Down: A new book looks at the birth of the modern folk era, with an emphasis on Palo Alto's Joan Baez.

Aural Fixation: Local band may be a Sleep-er hit.

Sweeping Epic: Ken Loach takes up the cause of the L.A. janitors in 'Bread and Roses,' a good cause that makes for so-so drama.

Rampling Rose: Plot plays second best to Charlotte Rampling in 'Under the Sand.'

Aussie Nightmare: A trip through the mill in Baz Luhrmann's gauche 'Moulin Rouge.'

Bombs Away: 'Pearl Harbor' blitzes the audience with CGI attacks.

Sniffing Out Love: SJ Rep's trimmed-down 'Cyrano' captures the play's essence.

Jazz Age Farce: American Musical Theatre of San Jose dazzles with 'Victor/Victoria.'

Too-Too Tofu: Soybean curd had its big chance and failed, writes Christina Waters. It's time to let it go.