Utah residents can register now through Friday, Dec. 4 for a time slot to purchase tickets for individual screenings at the Sundance Film Festival to be held Jan. 21-31. Getting tickets to Sundance screenings is a little more complicated than walking up to the ticket window at your neighborhood Megaplex, but if you jump through the hoops you'll get a chance to see some innovative films and soak up some of that star-studded Sundance ambiance.

After you register online, you'll be assigned a time slot to buy tickets in person in Salt Lake City or Park City Saturday or Sunday, Jan. 9 or 10. Time slots are assigned at random, so it doesn't matter how early or late you register. You'll receive an e-mail notifying you of your time slot on Wednesday, Dec. 9. Registering doesn't guarantee you a time slot; if there are more registrants than time slots some people won't get a slot.

After you receive your time slot, start researching films that appeal to you. Sundance organizers promise to have a detailed online guide in December, and they'll also mail you a printed guide. A lot of the films at Sundance have their own websites or have already been shown and reviewed at other festivals, so by doing a little online research you can find out if the film is really something you'd be interested in. Have a few options in mind, because a lot of screenings might be sold out by the time you get your turn.

If the film you really wanted to see is sold out, you cal always try for waitlist tickets at the theater before the screening. For details on the waitlist process and lots of other tips on getting Sundance tickets, see my new article "A Local's Guide to Sundance."

Click here to register for a time slot to buy Sundance locals single screening tickets Jan. 9 or 10 (Utah residents only)

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"It's a new era in Utah," In-n-Out Burger fans told me as they waited for cheeseburgers and fries outside the California-based restaurant chain's new Draper location, which opened today. The walk-up line stretched around the building, and the drive-up line stretched around the block as hordes of hungry Utahns converged on the state's newest and most highly anticipated fast food restaurant. In-n-Out opened both its Draper and Orem locations today, and several more Utah locations will open in the next few weeks.

Walk-up customers waited in line about 30 minutes to order and another 15 minutes for their food to be prepared when I visited the restaurant at lunchtime, and the counter and kitchen staff seemed to be working at full capacity. "We're very ecstatic at all the customers that are here," said Kristi Calmy, In-n-Out's Utah divisional manager.

Three girls who were "taking a break" from a nearby middle school told me their food was "so good," and that they had waited in line about half an hour. The Holton and Saunders families, who had come to Draper from Highland to visit the new restaurant, said they had fallen in love with In-n-Out while living in San Diego and were very excited to see it come to Utah. "In-n-Out is just bigger than life," they said.

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A few days ago I asked a teenage male acquaintance if he was looking forward to Thanksgiving, and he replied, "I don't know. We always have a lot of people over, so it's just a lot of extra cleaning for us. Plus it makes my mom cranky." Traditions like Thanksgiving dinner at home can help bind a family together, but sometimes it's nice to try something new. Or maybe you'd like to start a tradition that doesn't involve a week's worth of cooking and cleaning. If dining out sounds appealing to you this Thanksgiving, I've put together a list of top restaurants serving Thanksgiving dinner, some in the Salt Lake Valley and some at nearby resorts.

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Before the snow fell Saturday, my children and I had a wonderful visit to Hogle Zoo. Visiting the zoo is one great way to get out and enjoy a sunny winter day. Many of the animals are more active and playful in the cold weather, and if you haven't seen Hogle Zoo's adorable baby elephant Zuri, born August 10, you might want to see her before she loses that baby cuteness. Winter zoo hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

The zoo has some fun holiday events coming up, including Feast with the Beasts on Thanksgiving Day, Zoo Lights Nov. 28-Dec. 31, Breakfast with Santa Dec. 15-23, and Dinner with Santa Dec. 12, 13, 19 and 20. See my lists of Thanksgiving events and Holiday events for more details.

Photo courtesy of Hogle Zoo