The Enthusiasts Guild

We asked past guests to share some of their favorite music, books, movies and other traditions they revisit at this time each year. Thanks to Chris Clark, Libby Maeder, Olivia Lawrence, Robert Lowell Goller and Katie Wade for warming our spirits this winter. Happy holidays and best wishes for the new year!   Notes and links for some of the featured favorites: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation...

Robert Lowell Goller joins us to talk about "Who Put the 'East' in East Aurora?" His latest book, released on October 7, explores 30 intriguing questions about local history. Rob is a public historian and former journalist who has served as the town and village historian in East Aurora, NY, since 2007. Through his books, a monthly newspaper column and weekly social media videos, Rob uncovers previ...

Hosts Adam Zaremski and Fletcher C. Finch sit down to record together in person for the first time in a couple years. We talk about some professional and personal updates, then share a few pop culture properties we’ve been enjoying. Television: Bluey, The Expanse, Girls5Eva, Taskmaster NZ , Taskmaster UK Film: Superman (2025)  Video Game: Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild  Music: Billy Strings ,...

Christopher L. Clark, PhD, talks with host Fletcher C. Finch about is research into non-religious musicians and their relationships with choral music.  Dr. Clark is director of choirs and full-time lecturer in music education at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Links to topics in this episode: VOICES 21C, a Boston-based choral artists collective that seeks to combine high technical pr...

We lean hard into podcaster stereotypes in this episode by having three guys sit around microphones talking about beer. Our guest is Alex Buckley, an award-winning Western New York homebrewer who is working to start up a new commercial brewery, Beer Kind Brewing. Alex and Adam swap homebrewing stories and Fletcher enjoys some tasty sample pours. 

Buffalo, New York, USA and Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany have been sister cities for more than 40 years. Lynn and Greg Engle each traveled to Dortmund as teens and now serve on the Buffalo Dortmund Sister City Committee. They share information about the relationship between the two cities and programs that connect citizens of each area. 

Katie Wade of Thyme for Tea Herbal Apothecary joined The Enthusiasts Guild to talk about making tea, the perfect brew, and blends inspired by Tarot cards.  Katie's online shop is at https://www.etsy.com/shop/Thyme4TeaApothecary and you can find her teas on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thymefortea.herbalapothecary/  

Watch collector and tinkerer Brian Dorchak visits to share his love of timepieces. Nicholas Barcomb joins the episode as guest interviewer. We talk about movements, complications, automatic self-winding and the first watch on the Moon. Nick tries on a Rolex and likes the way it feels.  Visit our social media accounts to see photos of the watches at the center of our conversation.  Instagram: @TheE...

We dive into journalism, humor and more with Rhiannon Browning. The 1940 film His Girl Friday stars Rosalind Russell and Cary Grant as a divorced reporter and editor whose dialogue is as bright as their ethics are shady. We talk about some of our own views on news, the thrill of chasing a story and some formative experiences.

Dan Kaufman joins us to talk about "Batman: The Animated Series," with special attention to "Beware the Gray Ghost," "Almost Got 'im" and the amazing performances of Kevin Conroy. We also visit Dan's background in art, his interest in comics and Batman's on-screen appearances. Dan previously joined The Enthusiasts Guild in our 2020 crossover episode with the Your Brain on Hops podcast. Episodes of...

We wrap up the year by sharing some of our favorite pop culture discoveries. Here are links to shows, music and sites we mentioned this episode: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library: https://www.buffalolib.org/ New York Public Library: https://www.nypl.org/ Pressure Machine by The Killers on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1qMFjBarjO2xD15BwXZguD Ted Lasso (Apple TV): https://tv.apple.com/u...

Claire Martin studied art history and conservation at the University of Delaware, apprenticed with Roycroft Renaissance Master Artisan Thomas Pafk, and furthered her education at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation in the U.K. In this episode, Claire shares her love of furniture conservation and restoration.   Claire also gives a shoutout to the podcast This Crafted World (https://thiscraft...

The New Year is almost here! We asked listeners and past guests to tell us what they are enthusiastic about for 2021. We also share our own plans and hopes for the future. 

We decided to get into the holiday spirit by drafting movie and TV seasonal favorites. Guests Heather Scheer and Olivia Lawrence joined our hosts for three rounds, picking favorite specials and matching them with a snack or beverage.  1. It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)  2. Santa Claus: The Movie (1985)  3. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)  4. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)  5. Rudolph...

Nick Gunner had his first taste of rock climbing about six years ago and was immediately obsessed. He spoke to us about learning in Western New York and climbing in Colorado. Nick shared his thoughts on the attractions of rock climbing, the things climbing has in common with yoga, and tips for those interested in starting.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Turtle Power has changed Dan Tracz in many ways. He shared his appreciation for the first cartoon series with his dad in the late 1980s. Now, he and his daughter bond over the Turtles too. Dan spoke with us about TMNT toys, comics, favorite episodes and the opportunity he had to interview Ciro Nieli, producer of the 2012-2017 show.  

Libby Maeder loves to cook! She shares this love by preparing dishes for friends and family, as well as posting on her Facebook page " Libby Loves to Cook - The Sensibly Shod Commoner ."  Libby made each recipe in Ina Garten's "Cooking for Jeffrey," and is now creating the dishes in "Modern Comfort Food."  She tells us about her inspirations and plans a future party menu with Fletcher and Adam.   

Your Brain on Hops cohosts Dan Kaufman and Alex Buckley join Fletcher C. Finch of The Enthusiasts Guild for a special crossover episode. Our topic is beer and camaraderie. We talk about becoming friends at Aurora Brew Works and discovering favorite styles through bottle share nights. We also sampled a few delicious beers while recording. Our tasting list was: - Hennepin from Brewery Ommegang of Co...

Dr. Louisa Smieska talks about using x-ray fluorescence to discover what was hiding beneath the surface of a 19th century painting. Exit from the Theater is in the collection of the The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. The painting has long been attributed to the French artist Honoré Daumier, but normal investigation techniques couldn’t penetrate its secrets. X-rays from the particle accelerator at th...

Dr. Louisa Smieska is a scientist who uses x-rays from an underground particle accelerator to discover the secrets hidden within works of art. Louisa tells us about her work at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), joining her love of art with her passion for science, and her amazing post-doctoral fellowship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  You can learn more about Louisa at https...

Joe Cavaretta is a musician who has created and performed songs in a variety of styles. He's recorded under his own name and as Murphy Bed and Snowbelt in Buffalo, New York. He was also part of the band Northern Spy in Akron, Ohio. Joe spoke with us about his musical career, inspirations and his songwriting process.

Thomas Pafk is a Roycroft Renaissance Master Artisan specializing in design and furniture making. Tom welcomed Fletcher C. Finch and Adam Zaremski to his workshop in East Aurora, New York. We talked about his career path, work philosophy and Arts & Crafts style for the 21st century. 

The Mandalorian's soundtrack shaped our appreciation of the new Star Wars series. Adam Zaremski and Fletcher C. Finch talk about Ludwig Göransson's music. We also discuss Mando and his relationship with the child (AKA Baby Yoda).  Our awesome episode art is by Olivia Hintz. Check out her illustration, comics and character design at oliviahintz.com . (Used with the artist's permission.)

Boldly go... on an exploration of Star Trek: The Next Generation. First-time guest Chris Krowka joins Adam Zaremski and Fletcher C. Finch to talk about favorite themes, episodes and characters, especially Captain Picard. 

Adults are acting immature and there's trouble brewing in "Band Candy." Olivia Lawrence joins Adam Zaremski and Fletcher C. Finch to talk about her favorite episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (season 3, episode 6). We share our appreciation of the show, respective viewing histories and favorite characters. Spoiler warning: We recap "Band Candy" from 5:28 to 16:00, so it'll be even more fun if you...