Saturday, 18 January 2025
Had we been writing this article two years ago, the mood would have been quite different. As hard as it is to believe now, Joe Biden's Presidency began in the best possible way. A (seemingly) successful defence of American democracy, a revitalisation of the economy after the ruination of the Trump era, historic and consequential legislation, remarkably passed with bipartisan support. Joe Biden was never a glamorous President, but for two years it looked as though he would be remembered as a President of consequence. Things change.
![2020 2021 trump presidential legacy failure failed one single term president shame darkness embarrassment biden 2024](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhc2nbiqVDRP3Lx5VUnAyiQ8NrqyJUuzYygTAVfwSQTq77Koy4PT3K4_ZmbWa5vyqzoQF6Auz-rbhvbyz0lloFlk-T-zvO0jND-jmfaMrqFhrAB17AlKuHZu43vO6mLEQJ4p9PQz5mpEecW3amekF5awpvBQjT-DVOT2gUqXrVuSN7bLThIR_lo12TnT4/s976/_86256298_gettyimages-485902823.jpg)
Let's be clear though, what one person calls propaganda, another would call effective messaging. It is undeniable that the global far right movement has mastered misinformation. You may not like it, but this is what wins political campaigns and always has been, and the Putinist/Trumpist global far right movement has pretty much mastered the art form, and the fall of an otherwise highly effective Biden Presidency is another massive reminder that the west has yet to come up with effective countermeasures.
Sunday, 12 January 2025
Hello and welcome back to the Hot List. This week we will turn our attention to the videogame industry, previewing for you loyal readers the most exciting videogames set for release in 2025.
![judas bioshock ken levine pc playstation xbox 2025 best game](https://i.imgur.com/nQDWMNZ.png)
Release Date: March 2025
![fable reboot sequel iv pc xbox best games 2025](https://i.imgur.com/3pZEuRx.png)
Release Date: Late 2025
Release Date: February 2025
Release Date: Spring 2025
![citizen sleeper 2 sequel starward vector 2025 best game](https://i.imgur.com/UfoYduc.png)
Release Date: January 2025
10. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (PC, Playstation, Xbox)
![kingdom come deliverance 2 ii sequel kickstarter best game 2025](https://i.imgur.com/9SP86yN.png)
Release Date: Early 2025
Release Date: TBD 2025
![mafia old country prequel pc playstation xbox best game 2025](https://i.imgur.com/sIx4AHb.png)
![skate story sam eng blood cultures best game pc mac 2025](https://i.imgur.com/thXQPGz.jpg)
![avowed obsidian pillars eternity skyrim outer worlds best game 2025 pc xbox ps4 ps5](https://i.imgur.com/Jl0TshK.png)
![ghost of yotei tsushima sequel best game playstation 2025](https://i.imgur.com/5IMSHZv.png)
Release Date: TBD 2025
3. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (PC, Playstation, Xbox)
![clair obscur expedition 33 best game 2025 pc playstation xbox](https://i.imgur.com/cOV5J2t.png)
Release Date: Summer 2025
2. The Outer Worlds 2 (PC, Playstation, Xbox)
![the outer worlds sequel 2 ii obsidian pillars eternity skyrim avowed best game 2025 pc xbox ps4 ps5 playstation](https://i.imgur.com/vXsKJhN.png)
Release Date: TBD 2025
![grand theft auto gta 6 vi vice city best games 2025 playstation ps4 ps5 xbox pc](https://i.imgur.com/XpDmweG.png)
Release Date: Late 2025
So there you have it folks: 2025 in videogames. Tune in next week for the most exciting new novels and literature coming this year!
Sunday, 5 January 2025
Happy New Year to all and welcome back to The Ephemeric. No rest for the weary blogger. It seems like just days ago I finished writing up the Debbie Awards and already it's straight back to the grind with the first installment of The Hot List, this week focusing on the most exciting new TV series set to drop in 2025.
![best anticipated new tv television shows 2025 hot list ephemeric](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8MH1l2BvpAEs5xCnH2COoIv9Jyuf1yHW-2jLdbznFZpqXkpMm6yuuIpxvLOATd4zwCzH_lsvaVReo0xxFExSo94Feg08oCuXqpssxvOQ_F9Fhk63t_oZNEuEBZe_4vNZGa_Ehyl7Ek7aHRAMIJakuZ1XpBGWLOD5oYBpFCNEjxD8XHPWbSUQEok0Yf80/s400/QmagRbM.png)
15. The Ministry of Time - BBC (New TV Show)
![ministry of time bbc tv show 2025 best most anticipated alice birch keliane bradley normal people](https://i.imgur.com/Vd4wt46.png)
Start Date: Spring 2025
![2025 most anticipated tv residence netflix shondaland bridgerton](https://i.imgur.com/cNGxA66.png)
Start Date: March 2025
![last of us season 2 hbo most anticipated tv 2025](https://i.imgur.com/dNV20vY.png)
Start Date: Summer 2025
![2025 most anticipated tv the bear season 4 hulu](https://i.imgur.com/cU3bgxq.jpeg)
Start Date: June 2025
11. Zero Day - Netflix (New TV Show)
![zero day robert deniro netflix 2025 most anticipated tv shows](https://i.imgur.com/lX1b5U5.png)
Start Date: February 2025
10. Black Mirror - Netflix
![black mirror season 7 seven netflix 2025 most anticipated tv shows](https://i.imgur.com/DiAzyoE.png)
Start Date: TBD 2025
9. Severance - AppleTV+
![2025 most anticipated tv severance apple appletv plus season 2](https://i.imgur.com/ov7yiyd.png)
Start Date: January 2025
![invincible season 3 three amazon 2025 most anticipated tv](https://i.imgur.com/RQdCQ0l.png)
Start Date: March 2025
6. Ken Burns' The American Revolution - PBS (New TV Show)
![pbs most anticipated tv 2025 ken burns american revolution hamilton](https://i.imgur.com/BcCv0JG.png)
Start Date: Fall 2025
5. The Orville - Hulu
![the orville season 4 four seth macfarlane family guy ted hulu disney 2025 most anticipated tv](https://i.imgur.com/hoftSsO.png)
Start Date: TBD 2025
![how to get to heaven from belfast netflix derry girls 2025 most anticipated tv](https://i.imgur.com/6CSgGjb.png)
![squid game 3 sequel finale final season netflix 2025 most anticipated tv shows](https://i.imgur.com/ituqYEo.png)
Start Date: June 2025
2. Stranger Things - Netflix
![stranger things season 5 netflix new most anticipated tv 2025](https://i.imgur.com/5jWL7QV.png)
Start Date: TBD 2025
1. The White Lotus - HBO
![white lotus season three 3 hbo most anticipated tv 2025](https://i.imgur.com/h9YRaNW.png)
Start Date: February 2025
So there you have it folks: 2025 in television. Tune in next week for the essential new videogames of the year!
Sunday, 29 December 2024
Without further ado, let the curtain fall upon 2024 as we begin our definitive review of the past 12 months:
2024 Debbie Awards
Cinema & TV
1. The Debbie for TV Show of the Year
Winner: Slow Horses (AppleTV+)
Runner Up: Fargo (FX)
![best tv show 2024 slow horses apple](https://i.imgur.com/fID3YfA.png)
At a time when there exists more numerous premium streaming networks than hours in the day, it takes something special to stand out. In 2024, one TV series more than any other seems to be sweeping critical acclaim from all corners, and that's Slow Horses. An adaptation of the Slough House series of novels by Mick Herron. Led by the sharp-tongued and unkempt Jackson Lamb (played brilliantly by Gary Oldman), the “Slow Horses” uncover conspiracies and threats that their more polished counterparts in MI5 headquarters often overlook. Blending razor-sharp dialogue, thrilling twists, and moments of surprisingly deep humanity, the show masterfully explores themes of loyalty. It's like the not-ready-for-primetime-players version of Le Carré, in a very good way.
2. The Debbie for New TV Show of the Year
Winner: Fallout (Amazon)
Runner Up: Masters of the Air (AppleTV+)
![best new tv show 2024 fallout bethesda amazon xbox playstation pc new vegas season 2](https://i.imgur.com/VdWHfV0.png)
In another very competitive year for new TV series, this prize really could have gone to a good four or five different contenders. But ultimately, there can be only one winner. In 2024, the big prize goes to Amazon's brilliant adaptation of Fallout. Irreverent, satirical, and wildly creative. Fallout manages to capture the unique atom-punk style and idiosyncrasies of its post-apocalyptic source material far better than one might have expected, resulting in arguably the finest game-to-TV transition to date.
Runner up goes to Masters of the Air, Apple's epic World War II series based on the novel of the same name by Donald L. Miller. This show follows the lives of the airmen, depicting their bravery, struggles, and the devastating consequences of aerial warfare. Sumptuously produced and with a glittering all-star cast, this high-calibre drama is television of the utmost quality.
3. The Debbie for Film of the Year
Winner: Saturday Night
Runner Up: Dune: Part Two
![best film 2024 saturday night live 1975 jason reitman dune 2 ii timothee chalamet](https://i.imgur.com/7xmNiem.png)
If I'm being honest, 2024 was not exactly a glowing year in film. But a particular highlight was Saturday Night, the latest film from Jason Reitman, director of Juno, Up in the Air, and the latest Ghostbusters films. This is essentially a fly on the wall dramatisation of the production behind legendary comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live, taking place 90 minutes before the taping of the first ever episode. Frenetic and energetically paced, with sharp dialogue. It's more stream-of-consciousness than any kind of deeper narrative, but the production is superb and very effectively captures this moment in history.
4. The Debbie for Variety Show Host of the Year
Winner: Jon Stewart
![jon stewart daily show comeback talk show host of the year 2024](https://i.imgur.com/pKdkwUm.png)
Say what you will about 2024, but this was the year that gave us Jon Stewart back on our TV screens. The legendary comedian/TV show host ended his original run on The Daily Show almost a decade ago. During that time he has delved into various creative endeavours, from production to film directing, but none has really landed with the expected impact. His brief stint on Apple showed promise, until he pissed off the wrong investors and got canned. But now he is back where he belongs, part-time at least, and it's refreshing to see his brand of no-holds-barred anti-bullshit once more. Long may it continue.
5. The Debbie for Rising Star of the Year
Winner: Leo Woodall
![leo woodall breakthrough star of the year 2024](https://i.imgur.com/blfT8Zw.jpeg)
You may recognise him from the second season of The White Lotus, Leo Woodall is on the verge of big things. The British actor may have began his career in humble fashion, guest appearances on the likes of Holby City, but these next two years could see him become one of the biggest rising stars in the industry. 2025 will see him take a starring role in the new Bridget Jones film, as well as the lead in the newest Ridley Scott TV series, Prime Target. Add to that some critic-pleasingly prestigious (read: awards-bait) projects such as James Vanderbilt's upcoming Nuremberg, and it really does seem like Woodall is on the precipice. If you didn't know his name until now, you probably will soon.
6. The Debbie for Web-Show of the Year
Winner: Gaming Historian
![debbies youtube webshow video blog channel of the year gaming historian 2024](https://i.imgur.com/szDlKXO.png)
The Gaming Historian is not a new content producer. Norman Caruso's ongoing YouTube series has been documenting the history of gaming's greatest icons, consoles, and the major players of the industry, for years. But recent years have increasingly seen transition from YouTube-friendly short-form content into genuinely substantive documentaries. This year's output has included a forty-minute episode on the history of the first videogame cartridge ever created, and an hour-and-a-half film on the development of classic title The Oregon Trail. In a world where content is increasingly ephemeral, borrowed instead of owned, this type of work is absolutely valuable, and the quality of that work is hugely impressive.
Music, Art & Theatre
7. The Debbie for Theatrical Production of the Year
Winner: Stranger Things: The First Shadow (Phoenix Theatre)
![stranger things first shadow prequel netflix best theatre 2024](https://i.imgur.com/fa8ZPdx.png)
Amid the overwhelming availability of high quality theatre in London, my choice for the year's best production may raise a few eyebrows. But those who have seen it will know that it is a worthy winner indeed. Stranger Things: The First Shadow is a prequel to the hit Netflix series, but this stage production stands on its own as more than just a treat for longtime fans. Brought to life by the multi-award winning production team of Stephen Daldry and Jack Thorne, First Shadow has serious stage chops behind it. Thrilling for fans old and new, with innovative stagecraft and live visual effects that have to be seen to be believed, the work they have produced is sublime theatre of the highest quality.
8. The Debbie for Album of the Year
Winner: Only God Was Above Us - Vampire Weekend
Runners Up: Gangbusters Melody Club - Caravan Palace, Mahashmashana - Father John Misty
![only god was above us vampire weekend gangbusters melody club caravan palace mahashmashana father john misty best album 2024](https://i.imgur.com/PlJ10DK.png)
It would be easy for a commercially successful and widely known band like Vampire Weekend to just turn out another indie rock album, net a few chart hits and call it a day. But part of the band's appeal has always been their willingness to experiment, to blend radio-friendly musicianship with more avant garde compositions and make something with their own unmistakable mark of identity. Only God Was Above Us marks a culmination of their career to date, thematically hearkening back to their New York roots in a way that blends nostalgia and social commentary with more innovative genre mashups that draw on everything from the baroque stylings of Classical to the chamber pop of Pravda, and even more electronic drum and bass influences. The result is an album that manages to defy easy classification, while still providing an array of memorable tunes.
And in third place, a return to form for Father John Misty. Another artist who's not afraid to mix things up a bit, his last album saw a detour into big-band style swing. New album Mahashmashana marks a return to his indie rock roots, best typified by title track Mahashmashana, as well as the deliciously gritty rock number She Cleans Up. But there's evolution here too, and the highlight of the album is undoubtedly the 8 minute odyssey that blends all of Father John's various influences, rock, disco, jazz, I Guess Time Just Makes Fools of Us All.
9. The Debbie for Debut Album of the Year
Winner: The Mess We Seem to Make - Crawlers
Runner Up: The Future is Our Way Out - Brigitte Calls Me Baby
![the mess we seem to make crawlers future is our way out brigitte calls me baby best debut album 2024](https://i.imgur.com/zHRL11X.png)
The prize for best debut album is always a tricky one, not least because of artists' increasingly unorthodox models for content delivery. Nowadays artists often have several EPs and singles out before anything that can be considered a true LP, sometimes even years earlier. This is the case with Crawlers, a band that has been kicking around in this blog's previews for a while now, but who finally released a full debut LP in 2024, The Mess We Seem to Make. It did not disappoint, receiving critical acclaim for its vibrancy and modern grunge influences. Lead single Come Over Again is still a great track, even though it actually released some three years ago, Messiah another winning number. This band has a lot of promise.
A number of close contenders for runner up, but ultimately I went for The Future is Our Way Out, the debut album from Chicago-based pop-rock band Brigitte Calls Me Baby. A highly polished debut that seamlessly blends a myriad of influences, sometimes to a fault. This debut drips with solid gold nostalgia, from the mid-century rock-infused bop of Impressively Average, to more Roy Orbison-flavoured crooning with Eddie My Love. It's all delicious, but it relies heavily on that nostalgia. It will be interesting to see how this band moves forward and finds its own distinct identity.
10. The Debbie for Song of the Year
Winner: Happy - Linn Koch Emery
Runners Up: I Guess Time Just Makes Fools of Us All - Father John Misty, Raccoons - Caravan Palace
![happy linn koch emery time makes fools of us all father john misty raccoons caravan palace best song 2024](https://i.imgur.com/Xng3Xkw.png)
This is always a ridiculous category to pick. So many great songs this year, and other than in exceptional cases how do you pick just one above the rest? Never mind that this decision may change from one moment to the next depending on mood. At some point you just need to make a call, and this year that call sees the Debbie awarded to exciting Swedish singer-songwriter Linn Koch-Emery and her mesmerising Happy. A compelling piece of power pop, with grungy hooks, ethereal vocals and yearning lyrics. It's an excellent track from an artist with huge potential.
Next up is the 8-minute piece de resistance, I Guess Time Just Makes Fools of Us All from Father John Misty's latest album. This song is just plain badass. Part funk-rock, part disco, densely instrumental with brass-band backing, and lyrics that go hard. Father John at his snarling best.
11. The Debbie for Live Concert of the Year
Winner: Snow Patrol
![snow patrol big feastival best live performance concert 2024](https://i.imgur.com/MeJSdrA.png)
I'll admit, I might be a bit biased towards concerts which also accompany a kickass food festival with such pristine, feel-good vibes. But circumstances aside, this was one heck of a show. Snow Patrol are seasoned performers with an underrated discography over the past thirty years, and they know how to play to a crowd. Gary Lightbody is effortlessly charismatic on stage, and he still has the pipes and gravitas for the big hits. It's also hard not to admire a musician who is game for belting out his power ballads while wind and rain buffets against him in dramatic fashion. Quite the visual, top marks for commitment.
Winner: Kolonial - Landesmuseum Zurich
![kolonial zurich landesmuseum best art exhibition 2024](https://i.imgur.com/AKySMTH.png)
If you're wondering why the Swiss cultural museum is running an exhibition on colonialism, you're not the only one. After all, Switzerland is not exactly known for its colonial empire. This groundbreaking exhibition explores some of the less commonly understood ways through which people all over the world contributed to the crimes and injustices of the era, primarily through financing, mercenary work and political lobbying, and in particular the role that Switzerland as a nation played in this. It's a fresh and essential perspective of the global mechanics behind some of the worst excesses in post-industrial history, handled with extreme deftness and sensitivity. A remarkable exhibition, expertly curated.
13. The Debbie for Book of the Year
Winner: James - Percival Everett
![james percival everett best novel book 2024](https://i.imgur.com/39y9JVk.png)
Business & Technology
14. The Debbie for Scientific/Technological Breakthrough of the Year
Winner: Casgevy, the first CRISPR Therapy
![casgevy crispr best important technological breakthrough 2024](https://i.imgur.com/nt2OYa6.png)
15. The Debbie for Videogame Platform of the Year
Winner: Moonlight
![moonlight streaming platform app best console for gaming 2024](https://i.imgur.com/EKcPyQP.png)
It is long past time to update this award. The landscape of gaming has changed, it is archaic to suggest that games now solely require physical hardware, a console or PC. Increasingly, one might use a cloud-based gaming service, or a subscription service, or an app, as their primary platform. This year's tip of the hat goes to Moonlight, a free and open-source app that allows users to stream games from their PC to various devices, including smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and other computers.
16. The Debbie for Videogame of the Year
Winner: Frostpunk 2 (PC, MacOS, Playstation, Xbox)
Runners Up: Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth (PC, Playstation), Neva (PC, MacOS, Playstation, Switch, Xbox)
![frostpunk 2 ii final fantasy vii rebirth neva fallout london playstation pc switch console game of the year 2024](https://i.imgur.com/2edKzLS.png)
2024 was always going to struggle in the shadow of 2023, perhaps the most remarkable year for gaming releases in a generation. Indeed, 2024 ended up being somewhat quiet, even by regular standards. Nevertheless, there were still plenty of memorable titles worthy of claiming these awards. Taking the big prize, we have Frostpunk 2, the sequel to 11 Bit Studio's 2018 survival city-builder. Set in a compelling post-apocalyptic Britain that has descended into a new ice age, Frostpunk 2 maintains the unique Victorian sci-fi aesthetic and themes of the original, while expanding the gameplay into new areas, bringing in greater RPG-style decision making and faction management. The result is one of the best narrative city-builders yet made, and a wonderful expansion into this fascinating universe.
17. The Debbie for Company of the Year
Winner: Manilife
![manilife ethical peanut butter startup company of the year 2024](https://i.imgur.com/C0hRGVK.png)
This award is always a choice between a great product, or a company with a praise-worthy ethos. Fortunately in this case, it's both. Bluntly, Argentinian peanut butter producer Manilife are the undisputed global kings of peanut butter. Forget your Skippy or your Jif. Once you try the Manilife deep roast flavours, you'll wonder how you ever abided lesser nut butters. But it's not just delicious, it's also a company that makes a point of its ethical and sustainable processes. This includes its farming practices, its compensation of workers, and its ingredients (no palm oil here). It had long been the bane of my existence that palm-oil free peanut butters mostly end up a sloppy mush, but not so with Manilife, a peanut butter which miraculously manages to keep that velvety smooth, consistent texture that we love so much.
Sports
18. The Debbie for Footballer of the Year
Winner: Vinícius Júnior - Real Madrid
![vinicius junior real madrid best footballer player in the world football 2024](https://i.imgur.com/XHxjPV8.png)
Were I trying to pick a best footballer for the 2023/24 season, or the 2024/25 season so far, my pick might be different. But when it comes to a player who has excelled consistently over the entire calendar year, there really is one clear stand out. Vinícius Júnior is the brightest of Real Madrid's many stars, a combination of electrifying pace, exceptional skill and quickness of thought. Vinícius Júnior is a devastating player on his day and a big part of what makes Madrid the dominant side in world football at the moment.
19. The Debbie for Young Footballer of the Year
Winner: Cole Palmer - Chelsea
![cole palmer chelsea england best young footballer player in the world 2024](https://i.imgur.com/PM2a5Li.png)
Unironically a strong contender for the best footballer of any age. Since the start of last season, no footballer has achieved a greater goals & assists tally than Cole Palmer. That he did this while playing for a decidedly inconsistent Chelsea side makes the feat all the more impressive. Cole Palmer's £40million signing from the Manchester City youth team, with barely a first team appearance to his name, was originally the target of mockery, but in hindsight Chelsea have absolutely robbed City here. A player who surely needs to become the centre of both this Chelsea team, and the England national side.
20. The Debbie for Football Manager of the Year
Winner: Xabi Alonso - Bayer Leverkusen
![best football manager in the world 2024 xabi alonso bayer leverkusen](https://i.imgur.com/j7xZBDB.png)
A non-contest this year, Xabi Alonso's feat of guiding unfancied Bayer Leverkusen to not only pip Bayern Munich to a league title that is generally considered a foregone conclusion, but to do so undefeated for the entire season, is a truly remarkable accomplishment. Regardless of whether he duplicates this success again, Alonso has clearly established himself as one of the brightest prospects in football management, and it's a career we will watch with great interest.
21. The Debbie for Football Club of the Year
Winner: Real Madrid
![football club of the year 2024 real madrid](https://i.imgur.com/i4I1n4F.png)
At a time when most of the big clubs in football are either on the decline (Man City, Barcelona), or on the rise (Chelsea, Liverpool), there's only really one club at the moment that has managed to stay around the pinnacle of the sport on a consistent basis, and that's Real Madrid. Domestic champions, champions of Europe. Wealthiest club in the world, highest turnover. By any metric, Real Madrid currently stands as the apex football club. But these things never last forever, who will be the next challenger to chase Madrid's crown?
Current Events
22. The Debbie for Politician of the Year
Winner: Javier Milei
![javier milei politician of the year 2024](https://i.imgur.com/uTvwj9E.png)
23. The Debbie for Scandal of the Year
Winner: Mark Robinson, the porn-addicted "black Nazi"
![biggest political scandal 2024 mark robinson north carolina governor nude africa](https://i.imgur.com/AbLBiTz.png)
As far as political scandals go, this one is pretty hard to top. Mark Robinson, the Republican candidate for Governor of North Carolina had to mess up pretty bad in order to lose a lean-red state that Trump carried by three points in a Republican-favourable year, and boy did he. Robinson was already a controversial figure: a pro-slavery transphobe, homophobe and self-described "black Nazi". Incredibly, though, that wasn't what lost him the election (not entirely anyway). What really pushed him over the edge was the reveal of graphic, bigoted comments he had made on the online pornographic forum "Nude Africa". These comments really need to be seen to be believed and, I can't stress this enough, don't look for them, it's not worth the hit to your sanity! Suffice it to say, it was bad. Bad even by the standard of the cartoonishly batshit crazy standard of American politics.
24. The Debbie for Cause of the Year
Winner: The Political Independence of Europe
![political military independence of europe ukraine trump putin most important issue 2024](https://i.imgur.com/d3ArE61.png)
If there is one cause that I wish to champion over the next 12 months, it is the importance of Europe stepping up and standing on its own feet. These past several years have shown us that we can no longer rely on America, either from a security, a moral, or an economic perspective. Europe is big enough and developed enough to take that important role on the world stage. I include in this discussion non-EU states such as the UK that nevertheless remain an integral part of the European community. If Ukraine is to remain free, if Putin's advance into Europe is to be stopped in its tracks, then Europe needs to step up and show that it can lead.
25. The Debbie for Person of the Year
Winner: Yulia Navalnaya
![yulia navalnaya person of the year 2024](https://i.imgur.com/mkkzLJG.png)
Russian economist Yulia Navalnaya has gained significant attention this year following the death of her husband, Alexei Navalny, a prominent dissident, in February. After his passing in prison, Navalnaya vowed to carry on his work, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of being responsible for his death. She has since engaged with world leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, amid Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. Often referred to as the "first lady" of the Russian opposition, Navalnaya stands as an inspirational figure in the fight against tyranny. A woman of unparalleled bravery who remains defiant even as her life is endangered by the threat of assassination and torture perpetrated by her opponents.
Social & Lifestyle
26. The Debbie for Restaurant of the Year
Winner: Kochi
![kochi new york best restaurant 2024](https://i.imgur.com/8JhYlSZ.png)
New York is on something of a roll when it comes to dining out, and for 2024, there is no place I would rather eat right now than Kochi in Hell's Kitchen. Pitched as a Korean BBQ skewer tasting menu, this undersells just how good the food is here. Chef Sungchul Shim, with experience from esteemed establishments like Per Se and Neta, presents dishes that artfully blend traditional Korean royal court cuisine with contemporary techniques, offering a great variety of different dishes: vegetable, fish, meat, dessert. All absolutely incredible, and presented with real visual flair. A truly top level dining experience is an expression of creativity as much a meal, and Kochi does this as well as any place in the world right now. It can not be recommended highly enough.
27. The Debbie for New Restaurant of the Year
Winner: K'Far
![kfar new york williamsburg best new restaurant 2024](https://i.imgur.com/3xMYyaS.png)
Sticking with a New York theme, we have the new restaurant of the Hoxton in Williamsburg. K'Far is an Israeli place, named for the town of K'Far Saba in Israel. Styled as an all-day culinary village, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, that has garnered acclaim for its vibrant atmosphere and diverse menu offerings. The establishment seamlessly transitions from a morning coffee and pastry spot to a lively dinner venue. Amid an array of tasty dishes, the hummus stands out in particular (with a number of variants - the beef hummus being the pick of the bunch) as some of the best I have ever tried.
28. The Debbie for Club/Bar of the Year
Winner: The Anchor Inn
![anchor inn seasalter dorset pub best bar club nightclub 2024](https://i.imgur.com/CH6NqzY.png)
Picture the most stunningly idyllic seaside pub, and your mind's image probably comes close to The Anchor Inn in Dorset. A classic old school English pub, situated directly on the beach, with a view that can't be beat. The interior delicately balances comfort and tradition, smartly renovated, with communal dining spaces and intimate nooks. The bar offers local beers and a surprisingly deep selection of liquors, while the kitchen serves up coastal pub classics with locally sourced ingredients. But the real star is the beachfront terrace, boasting panoramic coastal views and a dedicated outdoor bar. It really is about as splendid a place as you will find.
29. The Debbie for Destination of the Year
Winner: Dorset
![dorset best holiday destination 2024](https://i.imgur.com/i54NuxL.png)
Sometimes the finest R&R spots are right on your doorstep. So it proved to be in 2024, with the sunny south coast of England taking the prize. Dorset is that most rare of things. Beautiful coastal scenery ensconced in gently rolling Cotswolds-style hills. Remote enough from the rest of the country to allow for a refreshing detachment, but with options for dining and socialising. Whether your preference is for quaint old sea-side hotels, or cosy pubs on the beach, I can't wait to go back.
30. The Debbie for Wine of the Year
Winner: Cinuzzi Chianti Classico 2021
![red wine cinuzzi chianti classico 2021 best wine 2024](https://i.imgur.com/klTdZoP.png)
Offering a well-balanced profile of Sangiovese grapes. The Cinuzzi Chianti Classico delivers bright red fruit flavors like cherry and raspberry, complemented by subtle earthy notes of leather and spice. The 2021 vintage showcases refreshing acidity and fine, polished tannins, making it a versatile choice for pairing with a wide range of dishes, from pasta and pizza to roasted meats. Its approachable yet refined character ensures it stands out as a quintessential Chianti Classico.
31. The Debbie for Tipple of the Year
Winner: Cotswolds Distillery, The Dan
![best tipple liquor alcohol 2024 the dan cotswolds whisky](https://i.imgur.com/GhgNQkm.png)
The best kept secret in the west country; Cotswolds Distillery has made quite a name for itself in English gin, but the real long-term goal has always been to become a whisky producer of renown. In recent years, this has been achieved and thensome, with the Cotswolds whisky perhaps the finest in the south of the United Kingdom. The pick of 2024 is their ultra limited edition The Dan. With only 162 bottles produced, The Dan is aged in an American Oak cask seasoned with Pedro Ximenez sherry, with notes of candied pecans and vanilla.
Well there you have it, another year in the books. Here's to 2025 being a year of peace, good health, and further progress. See you there!