The truth is, for years Go! desperately wanted to be a guitarist. And singer. It was a goal akin to, say, trying to scale Everest in flip-flops and a tankini, by which we mean utterly hopeless, given Go!'s minimal vocal range and inability to make the simplest bar chord without triple-checking the fret board.

While the rest of the country snuggles into a down-filled winter, Southern Californians already are baring down on next summer's swim scene. Making the biggest splash is Anne Cole's new "tankini" — a combination tank top and bikini.