Guest Contributor

Fresh from the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, where it was only one of two live performances selected to participate, Early Morning Opera’s Abacus opens tonight at REDCAT and runs through Saturday.

There’s no predicting the shenanigans that can go down at L.A. after parties. One lucky lady has found a fail-proof method to stay safe at such events. This week’s Overheard in L.A. round-up includes overheard conversation on amateur astronomer night, Shiva and serial killers.

Compared to the Santa Monica Mountains and the Angeles National Forest, the Palos Verdes Peninsula might not be one of Los Angeles’s most famous hiking destinations, but there are many great trails in the area.

College students across the country attempted to cope with Wikipedia’s blackout this week, some faring better than others. This week’s Overheard in L.A. round-up includes overheard conversation on mistaken identities, Escalades and Harry Potter.

The NASFT Fancy Food show is a bit of a culinary assault. It’s akin to someone opening every single product at Bristol Farms, Unique LA and the corner store and offering you a bite. We have our best in show picks.

We’ve already explored how hiking in the incredibly scenic and varied outdoor areas in and around Los Angeles can help you set and achieve New Year’s Resolutions; hiking can also keep you motivated when your spirits are low, and perhaps inspire you to take up the mantle again even if you’ve already given up.

The L.A. Art Show is the largest event of L.A. Arts Month and continues to promote Los Angeles as a significant arts destination, while solidifying our place as a relevant hub of arts and culture in the world.

East Los Angeles isn’t generally thought of as a hiking destination—but Ascot Hills Park may change that. The 93-acre park opened in the summer of 2011, and provides a great opportunity for recreation in an area of the city not typically known for its open space.

In addition to a good collection of works by master photographers, such as Ansel Adams, Photo LA is the place to see what is new and fresh in the photography world, a world ever-growing and constantly changing. Photography is an accessible art, and Photo LA has done everything possible to make this show accessible as well.

If your idea of a fun hiking trip involves maximum view for minimal effort, the site of the former Topanga Fire Lookout is a good destination. A quick walk on a fire road provides views of the Santa Monica Mountains, the San Gabriels, the Simi Hills, the Palos Verdes Peninsula, downtown L.A., the Santa Ana Mountains and San Gorgonio Mountain.