From gripping thrillers, witty satires and poignant epics to captivating histories and juicy memoirs, 2025 was full of great books. Read on for 30 of our favorites. FICTION Karen Russell (Knopf)The latest from the Pulitzer finalist and MacArthur fellow is set in Nebraska during the Great Depression — a very real backdrop for a very surreal … Read more
Hot or not? A divisive new dining ranking — more interested in who’s sitting at the table than what’s on the menu — is raising eyebrows in New York’s image-conscious restaurant world. Created by Gen Z programmer Riley Walz, LooksMapping scores hotspots in the Big Apple — and Los Angeles and San Francisco, too — based on AI-driven … Read more
A prominent New York fashion model and interior designer has been dropped by her talent agency after she posted anti-Israel messages on social media comparing the country to Nazis. Camilla Deterre, 32 — who was profiled this summer in Graydon Carter’s news magazine Air Mail for her role in the design a swanky Chinatown restaurant … Read more
Make room, Balthazar! After twenty-six years as Manhattan’s reigning popular-French favorite, Keith McNally’s beloved Soho brasserie has an upstart, (slightly) uptown challenger. Just-opened Cafe Chelsea (218 W. 23rd St.) is the culinary and celebrity centerpiece of the fabled Chelsea Hotel, eclipsing the reborn inn’s nostalgic, Spanish-style El Quijote and intimate Lobby Bar. The old hotel, a fabled … Read more
Famed New York City restaurateur Keith McNally slammed his native people on Monday for being the “worst tippers.” The 71-year-old British-born Balthazar owner posted a photo of the British flag Monday to Instagram, boldly claiming, “ASHAMED TO BE ENGLISH.” “I Wonder Why English People Are Generally The WORST TIPPERS in N.Y. Restaurants?” he continued in … Read more
This was the year the world was supposed to go back to normal. A quick scan of the headlines from the past 12 months — starting with the ones The Post’s readers clicked on most — tell a story that’s anything but. From celebrity drama — the slap heard around the world! — to Omicron’s last stand, to … Read more
Days after insisting he hadn’t “done anything wrong, on any level,” James Corden finally addressed his Balthazar shame — meekly admitting he “deeply” regrets being so “rude” to restaurant staff. “When you make a mistake, you’ve got to take responsibility,” the late-night host told viewers on Monday, days after snipping that being dubbed a “most … Read more
Waiting on Meghan Markle and her handler turned out to be a royal pain for Michael Cecchi-Azzolina, maitre d’ at NYC’s Michelin-starred restaurant Le Coucou in 2017. His head reservationist passed him a note about an “irate” woman who had dropped the “I’m bringing in royalty” card and demanded a private table, something the restaurant … Read more
He’s not feeling Corden Blue about it. James Corden is not feeling too bad about the NYC restaurant drama. After remaining mum on the subject for a week, “The Late Late Show” has finally addressed the viral scandal, in which restaurateur Keith McNally temporarily banned the Brit from Balthazar for being “abusive” to staff. “I … Read more
Just 48 hours after slamming talk show host James Corden as a “tiny cretin of a man,” NYC restaurant owner Keith McNally said he feels “strange” about exposing the talk show host. Keith McNally, who owns Balthazar in Manhattan, said he can’t help but “feel really sorry” for the British actor after he received a groveling … Read more
A resurfaced clip from CBS’ “The Late Late Show” has fans wondering if host — and notoriously “abusive customer” — James Corden might make for an abusive boss, too. Journalist Sam Stryker dug up a clip on Twitter from a 2016 episode of the show in which Corden, 44, and fellow late-night host, Jimmy Kimmel, … Read more
James Corden is no longer allowed to fill his guts at an acclaimed New York City restaurant. “The Late Late Show” host has been accused of boorish behavior by the owner of the posh Manhattan eatery Balthazar — who dubbed him a “tiny Cretin of a man” and banned him from dining there ever again. … Read more