Podhero Picks: The Hobby Horse Edition
In addition to so many other occasions that mark the month of January, it’s National Hobby Month! In a worldwide culture that prizes work and hustle, it’s an important and remarkable thing to take time just for you.
We talked to the Swootiful people about the hobbies they’ve undertaken over the years, in hopes of being able to find a podcast that matched their pastime. Now, we’re passing along the results of our research; add these to your queue if you’re interested in diving further…or even exploring something new to do with your time!
For Crafters: The Very Serious Crafts Podcast
Suggested by Swoot user Jessa
After decades of increasingly prefabricated products creeping into our daily lives, it’s no surprise that the tide is now turning toward a more homemade, artisan experience. Hosts Haley, Mollie, and Heidi dive into the (pun incoming) finer points of craft projects like knitting, cross-stitching, latch hook, and much more. And despite the “very serious” moniker, there is considerable lightness in how they address the world of handmade goods. Have fun with your crafts! They do.
For Homebrewers: Pop Culture Brews + Beer Busters
Suggested by Pop Culture Brews
We’ll admit it: this is a good way to get your own podcast on a list. But that doesn’t mean that homebrewing isn’t an increasingly common hobby, with more and more people choosing to take on the task of making their own beer. For inspiration, we bring you two recommendations.
Pop Culture Brews, as the name implies, uses movies, music, and books as the inspiration for their cultured concoctions…and they share their process with you! Beer Busters takes this passion on the road, traveling to — and playing games with — other brewers as they talk about their process and mutual love of brewing.
For Cooking: Bon Appétit Foodcast
We are a culture obsessed with food. The rise of prior food entertainment through cooks like Julia Child and media like the Food Network shows that this fixation is not new. A relatively new player in the food entertainment game is the Bon Appétit test kitchen, by way of their wildly popular YouTube channel. Another way to learn from and interact with these experts? Through the weekly Bon Appétit Foodcast, magazine editor-in-chief Adam Rapoport talks with celebrity chefs, cookbook authors, and test kitchen staff ease the minds of listeners about topics like winning office cookie swaps, cooking fish at home without a fuss, and how many more ways you should be using chopsticks.
For Roller Coasters: CoasterRadio.com: The Original Theme Park Podcast
Suggested by Swoot user David
The podcast recommendations can and should go both ways with Swoot, so we were overjoyed to get this recommendation from David for a podcast for theme park and roller coaster enthusiasts. The episodes delve into advancements in the theme park industry, offer reviews of new attractions, and prominently features listener feedback, questions, and input. Grab your sunscreen, fanny pack, and portable phone charger, and give this one a listen.
For Adult Coloring: Harvesting Happiness, “The Adult Coloring Book Craze”
Suggested by Swoot user Patty
If you haven’t colored in a while, it simply can’t be recommended highly enough. It lets you bring a sense of brightness to a drab space, and lets you bring your own sense of order and control in a world that doesn’t often let us have that. It’s no wonder that adults returned to coloring in such force in the 2010’s. And while we regretfully couldn’t find a podcast that focused exclusively on the phenomenon, we are surfacing this 2015 episode of Harvesting Happiness Talk Radio, which explores the appeal of this then-burgeoning pastime. It’s a great listen on what the process of coloring does to our brain, how it reintroduces play into the adult world, and how it can guide us to flow in our everyday lives.
For Chess: Coffeehouse Blunders
Inspired by GIPHY
When you find a GIF of two dogs playing chess, you take that as a sign.
For chess lovers, we recommend this podcast from International Chess master Danny Rensch and mobile developer James “Motz” Montemagno. The conversations that converge are a great mix of chess, coffee, tech, and whatever else they decide is on the slate for that week. In the past, it’s included superhero movies, hiking, gaming, and much more. If you’ve ever found chess boring…we promise, the same can’t be said about this dynamic and lighthearted podcast on the topic.
For Pet Lovers: Can I Pet Your Dog?
Inspired by GIPHY
Are dogs a hobby? If you’re doing it right, yes.
For those who treat them as such, you’ll love Can I Pet Your Dog? Hosts Renee Colvert and Alexis Preston use this weekly podcast to share the best dog news, bring on guest to talk about their dogs, discuss dogs they’ve met during the week, and even serve as correspondents at dog-related events. Truly. What’s not to love?
For Wine: I’ll Drink to That + Wine for Normal People
For the more discerning wine palates among our users, we present this offering from former sommelier Levi Dalton. Each week on his show, he chats with famous wine experts and personalities to talk about their work and shared love of wine. Luminaries he’s spoken with include Burgundy author Anthony Hanson, frequent traveler and wine connoisseur Russell Hone, and San Francisco Chronicle wine writer Esther Mobley.
Given that wines don’t pair universally, it felt right to offer a second option. Wine for Normal People presents that, and goes back and forth between interviews, learnings from years of talking about wines, and even spotlights regions and areas of the world famous for their contributions to wine culture. A recent episode spotlights how the brushfires in Australia’s state of New South Wales have affected the wine industry, there and across the world.
Whether your hobbies are captured in this list of podcast suggestions, or you’re pursuing something totally different, we hope you’ll take this cue from the New Year to find something you love to do…for fun! As I’m sure this list will demonstrate, there’s a podcast to urge you along at every stage of the process for almost anything you’re into. We can’t wait to see you find it!
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