NEWS & FEATURES

Welcome to the Boston Phoenix 2004 Guide to Summer, our complete overview of seasonal fun. This week, we take you on a tour of New England brewpubs, offering the sudsy information on some of the region's best spots for imbibing made-on-the-premises beer. We also give you fifty ways to take a vacation without leaving New England.

Ronald Reagan's way with a yarn held him in good stead through several careers, says Francis J. Connolly. In that last one, though, he managed to do an awful lot of damage while distracting the legions with his charm.

Kristen Lombardi reports on the intricate legal dance - to the tune of out-of-state gay couples' right to marry - between robust gay-rights advocates and party poopers Governor Mitt Romney and Attorney General Tom Reilly.

Getting young adults to the polls has traditionally been like pulling teeth, and even more so since the voting age was lowered to 18, in 1972. But this year, says Ian Donnis, they could be a swing-vote demo, which is why a number of efforts are under way to rouse their interest.

In our Guide to Summer, Chris Wright suggests fifty ways to take a vacation - without leaving New England.

In "Out There," David Valdes-Greenwood says he may be gay, but hold the rice.

In "Urban Buy," Genevieve Rajewski gets carded.

In the Phoenix editorial, we consider Ronald Reagan's place in history.

Letters to the editor

Moon Signs

Plus, this just in:

MUSIC

Mike Miliard probes the Anglophile angles of the Good North and the Information

Ted Drozdowski says Polly Jean Harvey is back in black.

Carly Carioli says Velvet Revolver draw on their checkered pasts.

Ted Drozdowski hears NiN vet Chris Vrenna sound the alarm with Tweaker.

Mac Randall says Phish is calling it quits, but Trey Anastasio keeps on cooking.

Live reviews of: The Best Music Poll 2004

Also, short reviews of:

THEATER

Iris Fanger watches Gip Hoppe and company mine Aristophanes.

Carolyn Clay says Last Sunday isn't just another gay play.

Sally Cragin hears Tom Jones sing at North Shore Music Theatre.

DANCE

Iris Fanger on Snappy Dance's Edward Gorey commission.

ART

Christopher Millis wanders the MFA and the PEM as they take in a continent.

BOOKS

Amy Finch digs through a centennial salute to Joyce and Bloomsday.

Jon Garelick reviews Alain de Botton's Status Anxiety.

TELEVISION

HOTDOTS: SATURDAY 12 5:30 (44) P.O.V.: The Smith Family. An uncomfortably close look at one Mormon family's tragedy. After nine years of marriage, Kim Smith discovers that her husband has been having same-sex affairs and that she's HIV positive. By Clif Garboden

FOOD

SPECIALS