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New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

Lauren Gruber

Lauren Gruber, Dining Editor

Lauren is a CAS sophomore studying Journalism and Psychology and WSN's resident sorority girl. A Boston native, she loves ice cream in the winter and the word 'wicked.' Lauren is a Brie cheese enthusiast and her hobbies include petting every dog she sees, rereading Gillian Flynn novels and watching cooking shows (specifically "Chopped" and "British Bake Off"). You can find her at The Bean while she pretends to study. Follow her on Instagram @laurenmgruber.

All content by Lauren Gruber
From Snakeskin to Sweats: Fashion Influencer Stuck in the Suburbs

From Snakeskin to Sweats: Fashion Influencer Stuck in the Suburbs

When Marc Manaloto was looking to escape the fast pace of New York, quarantining in Northern Virginia was not what they had in mind.
Lauren Gruber, Dining Editor May 1, 2020

Tisch drama student Marc Manaloto had it all: a prestigious film production internship, plenty of California sunshine and freedom. But all that was cut short when NYU announced...

Sugar, flour and butter - all the things that most of us have in our pantry. Following the recipes below, you can skip the dangerous grocery store and make yourself something delicious by adding only a few more ingredients. (Staff Photo by Lauren Gruber)

Photo: Easy Three-Ingredient Recipes

April 22, 2020

Sugar, flour and butter - all the things that most of us have in our pantry. Following the recipes below, you can skip the dangerous grocery store and make yourself something delicious...

WSN stays busy with the newest Animal Crossing game. Here's what we've been doing to stay busy during quarantine. (Staff Photo by Bella Gil)

Culture Desk Faves: What We’ve Been Doing in Quarantine

Yoga, Animal Crossing and dog walking, what more could you ask for?
Bella Gil, Lauren Gruber and Divya Nelakonda March 27, 2020

The only option for all of us right now is to stay inside. Working from home and attending school from home may come with some extra time none of us expected so here’s what the...

Wasting precious grocery in a time like now is no wise option, with COVID-19 causing grocery store shortages and job layoffs. Nonetheless, the recipes below may offer you a solution to the perishables at the back of your fridge. (Photo by Manasa Gudavalli)

Recipes to Reduce Food Waste

Make the most out of your sparse grocery trips with these food waste-reducing recipes.
Lauren Gruber, Dining Editor March 25, 2020

Overstocked on aubergines during your quarantine grocery trips? Not sure how to make use of your $7 organic strawberries after they’ve gone mushy? Between COVID-19 causing food...

“After Hours,” The Weeknd’s fifth studio album, was released on March 20th last week. Striking the balance between mournful and funky, the album is perfect for your social distancing period. (Staff Photo by Leo Sheingate)

The Weeknd Makes Social Distancing Easy With ‘After Hours’

The Weeknd’s new album is the perfect soundtrack for the apocalypse.
Lauren Gruber, Dining Editor March 23, 2020

With the world all but falling apart around us, The Weeknd’s gut-wrenching, evocative new album couldn’t have come at a better time. The Weeknd — also known as Abel Tesfaye...

Multi colored perfume bottles line a windowsill. The WSN Culture desk is here to discuss some of their favorite perfumes. (Staff Photo by Bella Gil)

Culture Desk Faves: Signature Scents

The Culture Desk dish on their beloved perfumes.

If you asked someone, “What perfume are you wearing right now?” most people would be able to answer in a heartbeat.The Culture Desk dishes below on what scent defines them...

Mascaras come in all sizes and forms. Here are some of the culture desk’s favorite mascara picks. (Staff Photo by Chelsea Li)

Lashes For Days: The Culture Desk’s Go-To Mascaras

Volume, length and lashes, oh my!

Benefit Cosmetics’ “They’re Real!” Mascara  Great minds (and lashes) think alike.  Mascara was the first beauty product I began to wear on a regular basis. To this...

Despite a restful winter break, there were definitely some things the culture desk missed about the city. (Staff photo by Chelsea Li)

Culture Desk Faves: What We Missed About the City

Winter break doesn’t last forever.

It’s easy to get burned out in New York. Winter break is a great time to return home and recharge. As we eat in our hometown diners and visit old friends, a part of us still...

Throw the best Super Bowl party at one of the most unathletic school in the country. (Photo by Chris Klemens)

A College Student’s Guide to Throwing a Super Bowl Party

In a school so unathletic that we don’t even have a football team, this how-to guide will help even the most sports-averse enjoy Super Bowl Sunday.
Lauren Gruber, Dining Editor January 29, 2020

Before you read my recommendations, I must prepare you with some disclaimers. First and foremost, I am from Massachusetts. Yes, I root for Boston sports teams. Yes, I identify...

Enjoy Michelin-quality Asian fusion food at Laut on a budget. (Photo by Talia Barton)

Ballin’ On A Budget: Dining With the Michelin Stars

Take advantage of these Michelin-starred restaurants right at your doorstep.
Lauren Gruber, Dining Editor January 27, 2020

Rather than being relegated to (literally) substandard dining hall food, NYU students have the luxury of living in a foodie haven. Restaurants brimming with delicacies line every...

Wollman Rink in Central Park is a popular skating spot for New Yorkers. (Via Wikimedia Tomás Fano)

Winter Wonderland: Culture Desk Dishes Their Favorite New York City Winter Activities

When the weather outside is frightful, the Culture Desk finds these activities delightful.
Lauren Gruber, Calais Watkins, Bella Gil and Carol Lee December 4, 2019

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Hot chocolate from Serendipity 3. The Union Square Holiday Market. “Home Alone 2: Lost In New York,” “Miracle on 34th Street” and...

Clinton Street Baking Company is a must-try all-day brunch spot. (Staff Photo by Carol Lee)

Culture Desk Dining: Farewell Edition

The culture desk reveals where they go to dine before saying farewell to the city for winter break.
Calais Watkins, Lauren Gruber, Carol Lee and Bella Gil December 3, 2019

For those of us lucky enough to avoid cramming in a credit requirement during J-term, leaving the city for a breath of fresh air and slower pace is a welcome break. But there’s...

Blinding Lights, a new single from The Weeknd, was released on Nov. 29. (Via Facebook @theweeknd)

The Weeknd Is Back and Badder Than Ever

The king of the fall is back with two new singles.
Lauren Gruber, Deputy Culture Editor December 2, 2019

After months of teasing, an Instagram hiatus and making his fans wait with bated breath through a two-hour radio show, The Weeknd finally dropped two new singles last week. The...

Staff Rants and Raves: Transportation

Staff Rants and Raves: Transportation

We’re all going places in some way or another. Here’s what our staff has to say about it.

Rants On the NYU Airport Shuttle By Bella Gil, Beauty and Style Editor Getting back and forth between JFK airport and campus is one skill I’ve yet to master. If traveling...

Staff Rants: Course Registration

Staff Rants: Course Registration

We have no Staff Raves this week. Course registration is the worst.

On Jumping Through Hoops By Ethan Zack, Music Editor Can someone please tell me why underclassmen have to make an appointment with their advisor before they can register...

A hallway in Rubin Residence Hall. Some NYU students say they have experienced supernatural happenings in unexpected places. (Photo by Alexandra Chan)

Students Share Their Spookiest NYU Ghost Stories

It's no wonder the city doesn't sleep.
Lauren Gruber, Deputy Culture Editor October 28, 2019

From the infamous Brittany Residence Hall ghost to inexplicable dorm apparitions, ghosts and spirits have found a way to spook NYU students. This city doesn’t sleep, and neither...

Glossier provides great beauty products, but Boy Brow doesn't match its 4.5 star review. Student tries on Boy Brow, a renowned product of Glossier. (Photo by Lauren Gruber)

Boring Boy Brow

Though Glossier is known for producing phenomenal products, Boy Brow just didn’t meet the standard.
Lauren Gruber, Deputy Culture Editor October 10, 2019

Buying a Glossier product feels a lot like being initiated into a cult, if the cult wore lots of millennial pink and had eternally dewy skin and bushy-yet-feminine eyebrows. Soon,...

Student crossing the street on West 4th. (Photo by Tony Wu)

Dear West Coast Students, Don’t Feel Bad About Jaywalking

Whether native New Yorker or Los Angeles transplant, students seem to unfailingly endorse the city’s jaywalking culture.
Lauren Gruber, Deputy Culture Editor October 9, 2019

It’s a Thursday morning, and you’re rushing to your 10 a.m. Writing the Essay class. The trip typically takes 15 minutes, and you left at 9:50 a.m. after securing your morning...

New Yorkers enjoy a sunny day in Washington Square Park. (Photo by Talia Barton)

Fall in Love With These Long Weekend Activities

Some of New York’s best seasonal offerings fall right on our long weekend.
Lauren Gruber, Deputy Culture Editor October 7, 2019

With midterms starting to kick into gear, the impending long weekend is a chance for a much-needed break from the hectic rush of classes. For those of us too far away to go home...

Staff Rants and Raves: Music

Staff Rants and Raves: Music

Whether you’re listening to your favorite playlist on the way to work or overhearing someone else’s at 4 a.m., music can evoke many emotions. Here’s what our staff has to say about it.

Rants On Pointless Effort By Ethan Zack, Music Editor Trying to make a good playlist has to be one of the most excruciating things you can subject yourself to. You’re...

Palladium Food Court failed a health inspection last week. (Photo by Polina Buchak)

Dorm Devotees: Why Some Seniors Stay on Campus

With great apartments come great responsibility.
Lauren Gruber, Deputy Culture Editor September 11, 2019

Sure, dorm living has its perks. The rooms are generally nicer than the average New York apartment, there's security, free repairs for air conditioning and leaky faucets, that...

Staff Rants & Raves: Textures

Staff Rants & Raves: Textures

Some things are fun to touch, and some things aren’t — it’s not too complicated. Let our staff tell you why.

Staff Rants On Manicures By Lauren Gruber, Deputy Culture Editor Let me preface this by saying I love getting my nails done. I love not being able to use my phone for thirty...

It can be difficult for students to manage their money, especially in a city like New York. (Staff Illustration by Min Ji Kim)

Students Spill Their Biggest Money Mishaps

Living in New York City makes budgeting notoriously difficult — these students learned the hard way.
Lauren Gruber, Deputy Culture Editor September 3, 2019

In a city where the streets are lined with outposts of every designer label imaginable, Michelin-starred restaurants and pop-up shops galore, it can be hard not to blow all of...

Students picnic and relax in Central Park, which is just one of New York’s many parks. (Staff Photo by Julia McNeill)

Spots To Savor Before Summer’s End

Make sure to hit these warm weather hotspots before they close for the season.
Lauren Gruber, Deputy Culture Editor August 24, 2019

While classes might soon be starting again, it’s not quite yet sweater weather and the summer heat in New York is far from over. Holing up indoors with an industrial-sized fan...

Comedy club, many of which can be found in the nearby West Village, are a common non-alcoholic  night out activity. (Photo by Shawn Paik)

How to Have the Best Booze-Free Night in New York City

No fake ID? Taking it easy after a crazy night on the town? No problem. This list of exciting after-dark hotspots has got you covered.
Lauren Gruber, Deputy Copy Chief March 12, 2019

It’s no secret that New York City has some of the best nightlife in the world. If you’ve ever walked down Third Avenue after 8 p.m., you know the feeling of sensory overload...

Fashion Hong Kong F/W 2019

Fashion Hong Kong F/W 2019

Lauren Gruber, Contributing Writer February 9, 2019

On an unusually sunny winter day in Chelsea, hundreds of viewers flocked indoors to see three talented Hong Kong designers with three distinct styles own the runway...

(Rachel Buigas-Lopez)

Old Books, the End of the World and Other Things You Can Smell Like This Fall

Lauren Gruber, Contributing Writer November 5, 2018

It’s hard to get excited for fall while a frigid gust whips your face as you turn onto Broadway. Instead of facing the change of season with force, why not face it with fragrance?...

"Fruity Pebbles" from Stuffed Ice Cream. (Photo by Lauren Gruber)

What the Cruff Is up With Stuffed Ice Cream?

Lauren Gruber, Contributing Writer October 25, 2018

One particularly chilly night in the East Village, I decided to brave the cold for the only delicacy that would draw me out from the warmth of my apartment. On the way to retrieve...