So no one told you life was gonna be a place in which the Friends Pop Up would only be open for a month and that it would also only be open in one location. Your job’s a joke, you’re broke and the pop up was $35 with fees. Even with all that, I’m still there for you so that you can still feel like a true Friends fan and experience it for yourself.
“The One With The Pop Up,” the name of the exhibit celebrating 25 years of Friends, is a fan’s dream. It included objects used in the show like a character’s clothing, objects of importance, and the rebuilding of certain sets.
I walked in and the first thing I was asked is, “What ‘Friend’ are you?” Meanwhile, I was hearing the Friends theme song, watching the Friends opening sequence, and absorbing the fact that I was in the Friends Pop Up. As I walked a little further, I’m at a wall covered floor to ceiling in every popular Friends quote you could think of.
This was just a distraction until the first real part of the pop up: the Friends fountain. It was the first photo opportunity and there were even people with cameras set up ready to take a picture of you as if you were part of the opening sequence. The famous orange couch sat in front of a backdrop with the lamp by its side, and the classic red, yellow and blue umbrellas could be used as props to hold while taking the picture.
Photo by Yolany Paz
After the best photo opportunity ever, I walked into one of the most iconic scenes: the moment where we all learned the word pivot in “The One With The Cop.” There stood a staircase going to nowhere with a couch bolted to the floor with enough space to feel like Rachel and Chandler as Ross screamed “Pivot!“
Around the set were showcases of objects from the show like Ross’ leather pants, the 18-page letter Rachel wrote to Ross, Ross’ Spudnik helmet, the Rachel versus Julie list that Ross makes, the fossil Rachel stole from when they had sex for the first time, Emma Geller’s sonogram, Rachel’s seashell lamp, and all of Rachel’s different haircuts throughout the show.
Afterward, it was time to walk into apartment 20, also known as Monica’s place. There, you could choose to take a photo in front of the door or to peek your head through the opening to re-enact “The One With The Late Thanksgiving” in which Ross, Joey, Rachel, and Phoebe peek their heads through the opening of the door because Chandler and Monica won’t let them in. Spoiler alert: I did both.
Photo by Emma Butz
Following the apartment door was a chance to put a turkey on your head re-enacting “The One With All The Thanksgivings.” It was a great moment to dance like Monica and take a boomerang which we all know Chandler would’ve done if that would’ve existed back then.
Afterward, you could examine a chart explaining who each friend dated, followed by Joseph Tribianni’s Reverand Certification and the speech he gave at Monica and Chandler’s wedding. You know, the whole “giving and receiving as well as having and sharing” speech in “The One With The Truth About London.” The best part: I got to be Joey in one of my favorite episodes, “The One Where No One’s Ready.”
Could I BE wearing any more clothes? Probably not.
Photo by Emma Butz
Although the pop up didn’t really include Monica’s apartment, it did include Chandler and Joey’s with Barcaloungers and all. The entertainment unit Joey built in “The One With Frank Jr.” was there with a hockey stick through the handles, along with Pat the dog and the foosball table.
Photo by Yolany Paz
You can’t forget the quirkiest character of all: Phoebe Buffay. She had a whole karaoke machine dedicated to her best lines, the Glynnis 3D framed art that Phoebe has in “The One With Ross’ Grant,” her guitar, and the “Buffay: The Vampire Layer” VHS porn film that people think she stars in.
At the end of it all, the pop up gives you the most important set of all: Central Perk. Although there’s no Gunther to serve me coffee, the orange couch is back.
Photo by Yolany Paz
You can’t get coffee on the orange couch, but you can get coffee at the makeshift Central Perk right next to it. Not only can you have coffee not made by Rachel, but you can also enjoy some sweet and savory pastries inspired by the show. Just remember, “JOEY DOESN’T SHARE FOOD,” so you shouldn’t either.