The Enthusiasts Guild

Nick Gunner: Rock Climber

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 Superfan Dan Tracz

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 Loves To Cook

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: Beer and Camaraderie

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 Cooperstown, NY. A farmhouse saison ale with spices (Fletcher’s pick).

- Curieux from Allagash Brewing Company of Portland, ME. A Belgian-style golden ale aged in Bourbon barrels (Alex’s pick).

-  White Oak from The Bruery of Placentia, CA. A blend of wheatwine aged in Bourbon barrels and golden strong ale (Dan's pick). 

 

Bonus Episode: Exit from the Theater

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 the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source revealed a painting hidden for 150 years.

See Exit from the Theater at the Nelson-Atkins Museum website: https://art.nelson-atkins.org/objects/29953/exit-from-the-theater

Louisa and her colleagues published their findings, and an article abstract is available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0026265X18313079

Additional information is online at: https://www.daumier.org/2019/09/08/technical-study-of-a-painting-attributed-to-honore-daumier/

Louisa Smieska: At the Intersection of Art and Science

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://www.chess.cornell.edu/about/staff-directory/louisa-smieska 

Some of her published research is available at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Louisa_Smieska 

You can discover information about the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source at https://www.chess.cornell.edu/ 

 

Joe Cavaretta: Musician and Songwriter

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: Designer and Artisan

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 and the Child

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.)

Star Trek: The Next Generation

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.