![Bella Simonte](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/DSC_5650-1200x1200.jpg)
Bella Simonte, Dining Editor
All content by Bella Simonte
![(Mariana Arboleda for WSN)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/culture-soho-perfect-day-gabriellaceballos-5-1-1200x800.jpg)
The perfect day in SoHo
How to navigate New York’s trendiest neighborhood.
Bella Simonte, Daphne Zhu, Grace Tan, Julia Kim and Lauren Ng
• February 14, 2025
![(Mariana Arboleda for WSN)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Culture-dining-diners1-1200x800.jpg)
Is reviving diner culture heroic or corrupt?
The ’70s mid-century modern aesthetic has revived the social cache of diners, but it may be a facade.
Bella Simonte, Dining Editor
• January 31, 2025
![(Alisia Houghtaling for WSN)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/feature-westvillage-1200x800.jpg)
The perfect day in the West Village
Don’t be intimidated by its bougie reputation.
Bella Simonte, Daphne Zhu, Grace Tan, Julia Kim and Lauren Ng
• January 27, 2025
![An illustration of four colorful Christmas stockings hanging above a fireplace. From left to right are purple, turquoise, green and red stockings that contain vinyl albums.](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/arts-music-xmas-albums-ranked-1200x800.jpg)
8 pop Christmas albums to broaden your holiday horizons
A collection of pop music’s best holiday albums based on nostalgia, sentiment and spirit.
Bella Simonte, Contributing Writer
• December 12, 2024
![Dancers dressed in soldier costumes lined up onstage.](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/rockettes.jpg)
The Rockettes don’t know when to tap out
The Christmas Spectacular starring the Radio City Rockettes has complicated its timelessness and tradition with too much technology, instead of fixing existing issues.
Bella Simonte, Contributing Writer
• December 6, 2024
![Three men in suits sit at a table in the front of a courtroom. Behind them are more people.](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/arts-tv-monsters-review27.png)
Review: ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’ is an inaccurate portrayal of the infamous murder case
The second season of Ryan Murphy’s “Monsters” doesn’t fully grasp the complexity of the Menendez brothers’ childhood and subsequent 1989 Beverly Hills crimes.
Bella Simonte, Contributing Writer
• October 17, 2024
![A stadium is packed with people around tables and chairs. In the stands, above the scene, are large white and blue letters spelling out “EEEEEATSCON.”](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/KiranKomanduri_culture-eats-con_10-12-24_DSCF8670-1200x800.jpg)
EEEEEATSCON NYC 2024 deserves all 5 of its Es
This year, The Infatuation’s star-studded food festival featured 28 vendors and three unique restaurant collaborations.
Bella Simonte, Staff Writer
• October 16, 2024
![A tan, yellow and green tub of ice cream sit beside each other. They read, “Van Leeuwen French Ice Cream” on the front.](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/5-1200x800.jpg)
I tried 30 of Westside Market’s ice cream pints — here are the ones that won over my sweet tooth
Choosing a single pint from the vast number of flavors offered at Westside Market is a daunting task. Having personally sampled many of Westside’s ice creams, I know a thing or two about the grocery store’s best.
Bella Simonte, Staff Writer
• October 9, 2024
![A paper tray on grass with six bao buns and two forks on it.](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_5131-1.jpg)
Smorgasburg: The global glory of eating through America’s largest food festival
The food festival reopened on April 5 and will continue until Oct. 27. Though every vendor served up the most delicious eats, there is only so much food one person can eat in a day.
Bella Simonte, Contributing Writer
• April 25, 2024
![A film still of two men in military outfits holding guns and walking people with black bags over their heads. Behind them, a girl sits against a wall with chalk markings of pink, blue and green, wearing a black vest with the word, “PRESS” written on it.](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/arts-civil-war-review-1200x800.jpg)
Review: ‘Civil War’ asks viewers what kind of American they are
Alex Garland criticizes journalistic and bystander integrity in his new A24 film “Civil War.”
Bella Simonte, Contributing Writer
• April 24, 2024
![A girl wearing a white tank top and blue jeans sits on a store countertop, holding a wooden sign that reads, “Brandy Melville.”](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/arts-film-brandy-melville-doc-review-1200x800.jpg)
Review: ‘Brandy Hellville & the Cult of Fast Fashion’ has been a long time coming
Australian documentarian Eva Orner calls for strikes and boycotts against the exploitation and overconsumption at Brandy Melville, within a larger conversation about fast-fashion culture.
Bella Simonte, Contributing Writer
• April 18, 2024
![Chicken pieces garnished with sweet peppers and lemons.](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/culture-dining-fossetta-RoastedHalfChicken-1200x800.jpg)
Fossetta provides a moment to sneak away for carb-loaded solace
Fossetta in the Lower East Side is the perfect hideaway to enjoy focaccia and wine by candlelight, read alone at the bar or catch up with out-of-towners.
Bella Simonte, Contributing Writer
• March 14, 2024
![An illustration of a young boy and girl in a courtyard, looking at each other. The girl, colored red, stands on a staircase and the boy, colored blue, stands on the sidewalk. Both the boy and the girl have yellow bubbles around them.](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Past_Lives-1200x800.png)
Why Celine Song should win best screenplay at the Oscars
Though it’s worth recognizing the visual and technical merits behind the success of “Past Lives,” Celine Song’s genre-defying screenplay is the star of the film.
Bella Simonte, Contributing Writer
• March 8, 2024
![A large room with white walls and floors has a variety of framed paintings on display in a grid.](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/arts-visual-david-shirley-4-1200x659.jpg)
Review: ‘David Shrigley & Tal R: The Notebook’ is a colorful testament to friendship
A collaboration between artists David Shrigley and Tal R is on display at the Anton Kern Gallery until Feb. 17.
Bella Simonte, Contributing Writer
• February 8, 2024
![(Roshni Raj for WSN)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/RR-nyuad-english-sign-1200x802.jpg)
Amanda Chen, Deputy News Editor • February 14, 2025
![(Allina Xiao for WSN)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/news-DEIundertrump-1200x800.jpg)
Aditte Parasher, Contributing Writer • February 14, 2025
![The Soapbox is a weekly news column rounding up stories worth reading for a global university. (Max Van Hosen and Kyra Reilley for WSN)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/news-soapbox-amanda-1.png)
Amanda Chen, Deputy News Editor • February 14, 2025
![(Alex Woodworth for WSN)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/multi-westminster-photo-essay-20-1200x800.jpg)
![(Courtesy of IMDb)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/arts-tv-mo-1200x800.jpg)
Sawyer Gouw Ranzetta, Staff Writer • February 14, 2025