It’s the beginning of a new year and a time of resolutions, and if you are thinking of taking time to reflect on what you want to do in 2025, Pico Iyer joins us from Tokyo to share what he learned during his time at a secluded monastery perched high above the Pacific. Then, if seclusion is less your thing and indulgence is where you live, Rob LeDonne joins us from Williamsburg, the New York neighborhood where almost everything has changed, except for Bamonte’s, the beloved 125-year-old Italian restaurant that is hotter than ever. And finally, Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms is one of the literary masterpieces of the past 100 years, and Amanda Vaill will share the story of unrequited love that inspired Hemingway to write his novel. Listen by clicking Play below. And be sure to subscribe at Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss an episode.

Episode 225: Pico Iyer on the Perfect Place to Escape 2025

Plus: Amanda Vaill on Hemingway; Rob LeDonne on Bamonte’s restaurant; and more