May the anniversary of our favorite series never end...
Every movement and group has its anniversary, and in the case of the pop culture of the last two decades that is September 22, 1994, the day on which the first chapter of friends.
Surely, when its writers decided to title it 'Where it all begins' -'The One Where It All Began'- they did not imagine the true magnitude of what those first 20 minutes . Nor that The Last One would never be the last time that his millionaire legion of fans, spread all over the world and belonging to different generations, would enjoy his adventures.
We always had the infinite reruns, those in charge of keeping alive the phenomenon friends , Demonstrating that 25 years It's nothing, at least not enough to not be able to avoid staying glued for the umpteenth time to the stories of monica, Rachel , Phoebe, Ross, Joey, Chandler and their many supporting characters.
Because the truth is that ten seasons and 236 episodes went a long way, also to travel and discover places with them, at a time when travel had not yet come across the adjective low cost, nor the word wanderlust It was part of our normal vocabulary.
Manhattan from Friends
NEW YORK
It is true that they were neither the first nor the last to convert New York in the nerve center of its history, but it is fair to recognize that a large part of the millions of visitors received each year by the city of skyscrapers spends part of his trip retracing the steps of these six friends, who were never really there - filming took place in a studio thousands of miles from New York , in California, more specifically.
Starting with the photo to the rhythm of the already mythical 'I'll be there for you' of The Rembrandts on that sofa in front of what could be one of the many spectacular fountains it has Central Park (Bethesda, Cherry Hill…) but that, again, was the work of the set team. To the relief of their fans, the exteriors were real , like Monica's flat, located in the West Village , more specifically at number 90 Bedford Street, and has become one of the essential points on the tour of friends.
We do not know if any of its interiors bear any slight resemblance to yours, but we choose to imagine that after one of its doors hides one of the most representative elements of that place and of the entire series: the yellow frame that decorated the peephole of the meeting center par excellence during its ten seasons, becoming its greatest emblem. We have found a replica, it is made by hand in a super light material and easy to install, because every floor deserves to live a story like that of friends.
A few minutes from the intersection of Bedford and Grove is Phoebe's (at 5 Morton Street) and Washington Square Park , that we get tired of seeing as a resource image, and that is well worth a visit. We will have to travel a long way to get to the Solow Building, where Chandler worked, although it was never clear where; and to Museum of Natural History , where the group's doctor spent hours among dinosaur fossils (the Tyrannosaurus Rex it houses is one of its most famous pieces) and the skeleton of a 28-meter blue whale, among many other specimens.
Although if there is something that most fans want to visit, that is Central Perk. Who has not dreamed of sitting down to enjoy a cup of coffee in your sofa with Smelly Cat background? We are sorry to report that it never existed, but it has been recreated several times and is part of the special ‘Friendsgiving at the Studio’ tour launched by Warner Bros to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
We know that no one can bring us back Central Perk but also that they cannot take away that fan moment in the form of the mug with the logo of the protagonists' favorite coffee shop. Is available in amazon and there is no lack of references to the mythical series. The same if you close your eyes and concentrate you manage to feel that it is the same Gunther , and not your friend/partner/flatmate who has served you the coffee.
LAS VEGAS
Many things happened in Las Vegas (and none of them stayed in Las Vegas) during the double episode of the fifth season: Ross and Rachel's wedding, the umpteenth reunion between Monica and her ex Richard when things began to get serious between her and Chandler or the image of Joey dressed as a gladiator. The vast majority of its plots took place inside the Caesar's Palace , one of the most portrayed casinos in film and television. But also one of the most popular in the city of sin, even for fans of friends.
TULSA
Little, or rather nothing, we were able to learn about this city in the state of Oklahoma . Just that to Chandler he hadn't missed a thing here and that, at least compared to New York, it was a terrible place to live. Tourist what is said tourist, we can say that it is not. But, if one day you pass by there, it will surely be during your tour of the Route 66 , because in this city lived the one who is known as the father of this route, Cyrus Avery.
Among its main points of interest is the popular Philbrook Museum of Art , the Gilcrease Museum (dedicated to the American West and its indigenous culture), The Church Studio (where musicians like Leon Russell or Eric Clapton recorded), Woodward Park or the Boston Avenue Methodist Church. But also statues as unexpected as Golden Driller (a giant-sized oil worker) or the Center of the Universe (where its premises place the center of the universe).
But how did Chandler end up in Oklahoma? There are curiosities that only true Friends fans are in a position to answer, but also many that we don't know. Kelsey Miller makes an interesting analysis in the book 'I'll Be There For You' , which on its cover promises to offer "everything you always wanted to know about the series and never dared to ask." Edited by Harper Collins and available in Spanish, it contains curiosities but also talks about some of the most controversial elements from the perspective of today's society. A new way to see again friends.
ATLANTIC CITY
To the little sister of Las Vegas not only going to spend a day at the beach when you live on the east coast or to play in its many casinos, there are those who, like Monica and Chandler, choose it as a destination for a romantic getaway.
Less than two and a half hours from New York , this beach town in the neighboring state of New Jersey is perfect for a day trip if you have time during your visit to the city of skyscrapers.
Your boardwalk, Atlantic City Boardwalk , is one of its most emblematic points and the ideal place to live New Jersey in its purest state and also to try some fried oreos at one of their stalls.
Atlantic City
BARBADOS
It is hearing your name and, with permission from Rihanna , that image of Monica moving her braids finished in shells is automatically reproduced in our head. With her we understood that there are unexpected ways to control excess humidity, but our desire to travel to Barbados and see first-hand how our hair reacts.
Even though the Friends stars didn't set foot outside the hotel, the country certainly has a lot to offer. Starting with its white sand beaches and crystalline waters , the most popular are those of Accra and Sandy Lane , in which to practice activities such as diving; and continuing through its gastronomy, with dishes such as sea urchin roe, its wide variety of fish and shellfish, or coucou (made from cornmeal and okra, a tropical plant).
Many plots converged in Barbados , including one of the most hated by fans of the series, because that is where the fleeting love story between Rachel and Joey began. And if this is not your only memory of that trip, you can put your memory to the test, while having a fun time with the Trivial friends special. Until 600 questions that offer the opportunity to prove once and for all if you really are the one who knows the most about the series of all your friends and acquaintances. Of course, at the moment it is only available in English.
And if you've been left wanting more, you'll always be left with the fate of Ross' failed honeymoon ( Greece ), the city where Rachel always wanted to live and where she didn't move by a hair ( Paris ), Marcel's second home (San Diego) or Montauk , where Ross finally discovered Rachel's true feelings. But also Vermont and its falling leaves, witness the beginning of the failed love story of Emily and Ross, just like London it was from its end. In all of them there is a little piece of friends.
Trivial is not the only one that has an edition dedicated to Friends, monopoly it also has its own and, in this case, the traditional Spanish streets that we have been fighting to buy for decades have been replaced by the most emblematic elements and moments that accompanied us during its ten seasons and their consequent revivals. There is Joey and Chandler's apartment, also that Ship that he bought Joey at an auction and, of course, the Central Perk.