Six t2 members speak in the voice of the F.R.I.E.N.D.S characters they most identify with
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| I may have married thrice but that’s because I am emotional and oversensitive. And I couldn’t get over Rachel for 10 years because I like to give my relationships my best shot! In short, they don’t make guys like me anymore. And the good thing about being like me is that you never get F.R.I.E.N.D-zoned. I admit that I am geeky and not that cool but hey, I do try! Remember when I had a chance to be on TV as part of a panel of palaeontologists but gave it up to take Rachel to the hospital? And I also kissed Joey once because he was auditioning as a gay man. That’s what friends are for. | Rachel Green I am Rachel. I am the prettiest in my group and I have boys falling for me all the time. I am also daddy’s li’l pet who couldn’t do anything for herself. I never dreamed I would get myself a grown-up’s job, manage work pressure and make my own money, but here I am doing all of that. I also have a haircut that is iconic and copied and coveted by everyone! And my on-off romance with my boyfriend is stuff of legends that keeps all my friends guessing all the time. | Monica Geller I am obsessive, I am compulsive and I suffer from every kind of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder there ever was. If you’re like me, you have got labelled cups and you get paranoid if a red outfit mistakenly makes its way to the black “section” of your cupboard. Well, you’re a manic when it comes to cleanliness. Also, you’d have been very competitive all your life but often turned out to be the “mother hen” of your friends group, mostly spewing unsolicited advice. Okay, I’m responsible, I’m organised, but hey, I can be a kook. | Chandler Bing I knew you’d flip for me! My boyish, awkward charm and sarcy wit sets me so apart from the gang. My troubled past may have caused me some serious trauma but I can make light of it of course! You know I am great to hang with because I make you laugh, almost always. And yes, my chemistry with friend and roommate Joey makes us the | Phoebe Buffay I am zany, peace-loving, free-spirited, kind, loyal and principled. And everyone should be in awe of my self-confidence. What makes me more awesome? That I can brush off people calling me eccentric, not getting my jokes, or hitting me below the belt. But trust you me, I’m more street-smart than the rest and I have a well-hidden mean streak that could hurt you. Ouch! All in all, I rock. I mean, who but me could make Smelly Cat a thing? | Joey Tribbiani I don’t share foodstuff. Period. When I have food in front of me, it kills me to offer it to you. In my mind I have stabbed you with a butter knife so many times you are now a concentrated ghost. You may, of course, share your food with me. Also, I ace in foreign languages simply because I make my own lingo. And did I mention how easy it is for me to charm the opposite sex? HOW YOU DOIN’!? |
the girl F.r.i.e..d.s lookbook
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Rachel, the fashionista
With a fashionable CV (Bloomingdales and then Ralph Lauren) and an even more fashionable wardrobe, Rachel is the spokesperson for the classic-meets-cool school of style. Her denim overalls, cute cropped tees and shorts as a Central Perk waitress are replaced by sexy-in-a-sophisticated-way dresses and skirts. Her body changes, from curvy to super skinny. And as the seasons progress, so do her hairstyles — the shaggy Rachel Cut being the most iconic. The one thing that remains unchanged? Her modern approach to dressing and her belief in less-is-more. And the one vital lesson we learnt from the resident fashionista — when in doubt, edit.
Phoebe, the gypsy
Oh, how we love her free-spirited world. No one can pull off quirky-kitsch quite like her. So we all have, at some point, seen her clothes and exclaimed “what was she thinking!” But that’s the charm of Phoebe — she wasn’t thinking! The patchwork jackets, hippie skirts and vests, artsy accessories and an overdose of trinkets and rings, she retains her gypsy vibe till Mike Hannigan comes into her life. That’s when she “settles” in and makes the switch to solid colours and sleek straight hair, but not without the Phoebe factor.
Monica, the unpredictable
Her style is a bit schizophrenic and she is probably the only friend that doesn’t have a signature style. She glides from boho chic to vintage to contemporary; from button-down boyfriend shirts and tracks (her cleaning day uniform) to feminine peasant blouses, accessorised with dainty accents and a great blow-dry. Through the seasons her wardrobe has been dominated by all American classics, especially the striped tee and sneakers.
t2 drops by the centrAl perk pop-up in manhattan for a cup of coffee!
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| Team F.R.I.E.N.D.S chilling at their favourite hangout, Central Perk |
This was the longest I had ever waited for coffee. F.r.i.e..d.s turns 20 on Monday and since there is no reunion in sight, fans are being treated to the next best thing — an experience at Central Perk. A cafe made to simulate the original set at Warner Bros Studio in Burbank, California, popped up in the trendy Soho district at199 Lafayette Street, Manhattan, on Wednesday.
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| The iconic orange sofa occupies pride of place at the Central Perk pop-up store |
New Yorkers didn’t hesitate to join the serpentine queue that wrapped around an entire city block to get a feel — and taste — of Central Perk, immortalised on the small screen by Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Ross.
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| The menu at Central Perk pop-up... |
It was almost two hours before we finally entered. There are two main exhibits, one on each end of the cafe. You enter into the costume installation with iconic looks of the friends setting the mood, and you exit with a photo op at the orange couch. In the middle there are anecdotes, tidbits, props, posters, moments — tangible and intangible — and most of all, that warm fuzzy feeling that the show never fails to evoke.
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| The menu at Central Perk pop-up... |
Live performances are slated too — the buzz about Smelly Cat is the loudest. A small gift shop sells show memorabilia — cups, charm bracelets, coffee, aprons, key chains… The waiters wore ‘how you brewin’?’ tees and pointed to the blackboard. On the menu were four kinds of brew — Dark Italian Espresso, The Original Decaf, Central Perk Roast and Caramel Macchiato. Visitors were handed out free coffee. But not by Gunther, although James Michael Tyler is expected to drop by once in a while in the course of the month that the Central Perk pop-up will be around.
As I said before, it was the longest I waited for coffee. And it was every bit worth the wait.
Text and pictures: Shradha Agarwal
10 THINGS at the central perk pop-up we LOVED
1. The Geller Cup: Remember Ross and Monica tearing each other’s hair at what began as a friendly football game?
2. The original artwork for Science Boy: Ross’s comic creation, a superhero whose power is a superhuman thirst for knowledge. Phoebe had ‘mugged’ it back in the day.
3. Monica’s engagement ring: And Monica and Chandler’s wedding rings, handwritten vows and invitation. Few other proposals match the dreaminess of this one.
4. Joey’s name tag from Days of Our Lives: Dr Drake Ramoray made for one hot neurosurgeon!
5. Rachel’s first sonogram. And the baby’s ‘I am a girl’ pink crib tag.
6. A DVD of ‘Buffay the Vampire Slayer’ starring Phoebe’s twin Ursula.
7. The girls’ and the boys’ apartment floor plans: Classic case of cosy home vs lazy home!
8. ‘Smelly Cat’ litter: A replica box alongside Phoebe’s guitar.
9. Pat, the dog statue: Joey’s big home purchase during his Days of Our Lives apartment, immortalised in the title song I’ll Be There For You, sung by The Rembrandts.
10. Gold frame on the door: The handpainted gold frame around the peephole behind Monica and Rachel’s apartment door. How many times have the friends peeped through it — in and out!
Moods & moments from the lives of our 6 friends
Monica’s proposal to Chandler: It was so her.
The Valentine’s Day love-trashing bonfire: When the girls get together to burn up stuff from their old relationships... and had to call the firemen to put out the fire in the house!
Phoebe moving out of Monica’s apartment... one item by one item.
The naked guy: Every scene that involved looking out of the window and AT the ugly naked guy! Especially after moments that were wrought with tension — like Monica’s Thanksgiving dinner that almost failed!
The break: The two-part episode where Ross and Rachel take a break (or break up, depending on whose side you are on). Even two people who are so in love and perfect for each other may mess it up sometimes. #heartache. But that episode gave us the hilarious “We were on a break” line.
Marcel the monkey: What’s there to hate about a monkey with a name like Marcel? Ross’s pet was a conversation starter in the first season, especially when it started showing sexual maturity (read, humping). The scene-stealer is the one where Ross finds out that the monkey, which he gave to a zoo, has become a star and is in New York to shoot a film. The Central Perk team arrives to meet Marcel but when it doesn’t respond to Ross’s call, the palaeontologist begins to sing... and the friends join in.
The title track: I’ll Be There For You is still our favourite Friendship Day number.
Some lines we’ve be-Friended
I’m not so good with the advice... Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment? — Chandler
Welcome to the real world. It sucks. You’re going to love it.
— Monica
Smelly cat, smelly cat, what are they feeding you? Smelly cat, smelly cat, it’s not your fault.
— Phoebe
I hate his underwear. One time I brought a pair marked XS and let me tell you there’s no room for anything excess in there. — Joey
If you have to call me a name, I prefer, ‘Ross, The Divorcer.’ It’s just cooler. — Ross
Isn’t that just kick-you-in-the-crotch, spit-on-your-neck fantastic? — Rachel
