Like most people, I had always assumed that the lyrics to the 10-year Friends series – I’ll be there for you… simply referred to the friendship shared by 6 of the funnest friends in Manhattan I’ve never actually had. After this past Saturday morning, however, I discovered that Friends is actually really there for me – right now, present tense, in the form of the Central Perk pop up cafe in Soho on Broadwick Street.
Two weeks ago I’m kicking myself for not talking more about pop ups, planning a trip to the Icecreamists at Selfridges as my first pop-up experience. This Saturday MissDani has me up at the crack of dawn to truck it (okay, train and bus it) from Deptford to Soho to press our noses up against the glass of what quite frankly is a coulda-fooled-me pop up of the Central Perk cafe. At 9am on the dot, along with the 20 or so other Friends fanatics and pleasantly surprised passerby, we are let in two by two into the cafe, which is complete with the red couch, neon signs, and central perk signage. It’s pretty realistic, especially looking out over the sofa, cafe tables and through the Central Perk window – I even half expect to see Ross chasing Phoebe and Rachel outside proving his Unagio total awareness theory!
Very key and hilariously quotable scenes from the ten seasons play on flat screens, as this is, after all, a PR stunt to sell the latest 10-season comprehensive box set for the series’ 15th anniversary, complete with – of course – never before seen and extended footage. I could care less why it’s there. Point is – we hung out and had coffee at Central Perk, saw live and direct the Turkey that Monica wore on her head to cheer up Chandler on Thanksgiving, along with Phoebe’s Buffay the Vampire Layer porno and the front page of Ross’s Science Boy comic book.
It’s only on until 7 October so if you do want to check it out, do it soon, before your shot at sitting in Central Perk is no longer there for you….Oh, and there’s free coffee, too!
Missdani on the 'set' of Friends
MyMetropole 
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