Cover: Our Sunny Best
Metro's Best of the Santa Clara Valley issue hits its 12th year, with our largest-ever special edition. We've got the results of our readers survey--where you voted on the best people, places and things in the valley. Plus, our staff goes on a city-by-city search to assess old favorites and new discoveries.

Editors' Introduction
San Jose
West Valley
South County
Silicon Suburbs
Peninsula

Editor's License: A short list of personal favorites.

News: Flim Flam, Thank You Ma'am
"Gio" was the tall, dark and handsome man that a string of Silicon Valley women loved, supported and trusted. Until they learned that some things really are too good to be true.

It Takes 10,000 Villages: Nurturing a guilt-free shopping ethic takes thought, planning and ... you guessed it.

Public Eye: Yet another mayoral poll, but who dunnit?

Polis Report: How the rookie Assembly members scored.

City of Tarnished Angels: L.A. Confidential taps into a rich vein of Hollywood decadence. Also, get down and dirty with director Curtis Hanson and novelist James Ellroy, the men responsible for the vintage L.A. movie

Closet Classic: Kevin Kline leads an ensemble cast In & Out of a modern screwball comedy. Plus, Richard von Busack talks to screenwriter Paul Rudnick.

Oliver's Story: A simple tale of love gets inflated in Sunday.

Smiley's People: A Thousand Acres is shrunk to fit onscreen.

Classical Heat: Philip Collins reviews Philharmonia Baroque's staging of Handel's Hercules.

Northern Exposure: Björk stays her eccentric pop course on Homogenic.

Grrrrbop: Atari Teenage Riot and Rage Against the Machine's intense sloganeering doesn't interfere with a good time.

A Smashing Set: Kamp KOME headliners Smash Mouth walk on the sun at Shoreline.

Beat Street: A list of San Jose bands a lot like Smash Mouth.

Legacy of the Camps: A Los Gatos man gathers up never-before-seen photographs of the Japanese-American internment camp at Heart Mountain.