Insider: Lauren Lumsden

name: LAUREN LUMSDEN

occupation: Assistant Editor/Books Editor at DailyCandy.com

hometown: Roanoke, Virgina

homebase: West Village, New York City

name 3 memorable spots from your recent travels to Europe: 

Berlin; I recommend everyone to get lost in Berlin. Everywhere you turn, there's a cool modern art gallery or a swanky, but not pretentious, wine bar. (We went to one where you serve yourself and pay however much you think you owe when you leave) The young people have a great, interesting sense of fashion, some of the boutiques really felt like galleries to me. It's just a very artistic place where people are engaging and worldly.  And the history is outrageous of course. 

Bamberg; This is a beautiful little city in the Bavaria section of Germany. It's just as pretty as Prague - maybe prettier, minus all the tourists.

Paris; I went to a friend's wedding on the Seine. Enough said. 

what are some websites you read every day? 

My friend's blogs (redactedblog.blogspot.com, atleastnowiknow.blogspot.com), NYTimes.com, Gawker, The Onion, Refinery29, The Sartorialist, Dvice.com and McSweeney's. Oh and Roanoke.com, their crossword puzzle makes me feel pretty smart, which is nice. 

the best part of working for one of the most famous daily newsletters? 

Doing interviews like this. But also, I really love when people we've written about come back to us and say we've helped get their businesses off the ground. And my co-workers are really awesome, especially Camille the little baby princess Pug. 

what's your favorite and least favorite candy?

Well, according to our "About Us" page on DailyCandy, my favorite candies are Chilmark Chocolates.  These little pieces of gooey heaven are made and sold in a little cottage in the Chilmark area of Martha's Vineyard. I could eat one million of them, get sick and do it all over again.  My favorite "candy" that used to be on the website is Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, which many would argue are not candy, but my first job out of college was KK's PR and I can't resist giving them a shout out when possible. As a side note, I have a "diploma" from their headquarters in Winston-Salem saying I am certified to manage a Krispy Kreme store. So, if DailyCandy doesn't work out, you know where to find me. 

describe your work desk: 

A ton of books, hopefully chips and salsa, junk, speakers, Purel, a calendar that's still on May. 

what's the most usable phrase heard at the DailyCandy headquarters? 

Shitcan Highway's a one-way street, my friends. 

what is your bag and what's in it? 

Recently, I've been carrying around a simple canvas tote bag that the Wurst Gallery in Portland, Oregon sent us.  I'm too embarassed to send a picture of the inside, but I can tell you that the bottom is lined in receipts, tissues and ink pens.