Penny and I take a walk from Shawn Horton on Vimeo.

Penny Meets a Wok from Shawn Horton on Vimeo

Leslie and I bought a few household improvement items at IKEA. As we were unpacking everything, Penny started acting very skittish. We soon realized she didn’t like the form of the wok. I pride myself in knowing that Penny is fearless, so I wanted to quash this unfounded fear of a cooking vessel. Watch as she overcomes her fear and grabs her Kong from within the wok.

We decided to check out northern Minnesota’s newest brew operation, in Ely, Minnesota. The Boathouse Brewpub had two in-house brews available when we toured on December 23, 2008: the Eel Pout Oatmeal Stout, and the Golden Pale Ale. We see great potential in this brewpub in helping to invigorate the local brewing scene in northern Minnesota.

I personally enjoyed the Eel Pout Oatmeal Stout, and I give it a 4/5. I would have preferred a more complex and aromatic beer. I was, however, very impressed with its smooth, creamy finish.

The Golden Pale Ale is a solid local alternative to macro-brewed offerings like Miller Lite or Bud Light. I prefer a more complex beer, yet I have no criticisms. Overall 3/5.

Matt and I decided to enjoy a free winter skate, courtesy of Wells Fargo bank, in downtown Saint Paul. Although it was a brisk -1? Fahrenheit, it was actually a great day to skate. Only eight people on the ice, and no waiting in line for skates.

This was also a great chance for me to try out my Flip Ultra. I ordered it on Woot a few days prior to this, and I wanted to see how well it handled cold, as well as differential lighting.