The one where I make lots of Friends references

 

With the off Broadway Show we had booked being a Friends parody, visiting their apartment yesterday, and catching up with our own Friends today, seems a good to time to get all 'I'll be there for you'.  Friends is very much nod to a lot of New York places that did not feature in the series in reality, as it was almost exclusively filmed in west coast studios 

The day began with a walk up to Central Park South Entrance. The strip of land originally owned by Dutch investors (daily reference done), sold to private individuals and ultimately bought by the city and very much owned and used by all New Yorkers.

Today they were joined by a couple of welsh runners as Chrissi and I navigated various paths in the Park. I followed a south to north path that then looped back north to south, around 3 miles each way that I rounded up to a 10K as that is what I do. So many runners on the same tracks, cycle pelotons whizzing past, dog walkers and tourists all embracing the oasis of calm that is surrounded by a high rise jungle. Sadly my focus was simply on the views rather than the ornaments within the park,  I took my run a little more seriously than Phoebe; Chrissi managed to find some Alice in Wonderland stuff, neither of us saw Strawberry Fields although think we probably both passed it.  My map above for your perusal ...

We were back in the Hilton for 9am and able to take full advantage of the breakfast, very much done things in the right order this morning. My US nod was pancakes with maple syrup and bacon, not too dissimilar from the waffles with the same accompaniments a couple of days back. Able to take things a lot more leisurely over breakfast, extra cups of coffee, not quite Central Perk but it would have to do.

With a rugby match going on at home and knowing a couple of friends from home were in town it was only right and proper all the welsh headed to one place. Had found a Welsh Bar, home of the New York Welsh, and so we walked down 5th Avenue to get there, able to take in a few more sights on route that had evaded me so far. These included the Rockerfella Centre and St Patricks Cathedral, the church once was the tallest building in New York!

The game itself was exciting, good company with our friends the Jarmans and for a moment we thought we might win. Sadly not in the conventional sense but a winning experience, and the chance for another Friends reference as I recall Ross learning the art of rugby in one of the earlier episodes, so it does exist in fictional New York as well as factual New York. Chatting to quite a few of the welsh ex pats or those with welsh roots, welsh cakes at half time, and a tour of the bar by the owner who told us about the clubs back home where they are sponsoring the kids teams, particularly the girls rugby teams.  As well as being with the Undy Welsh I actually met a Loughor lad, fellow Jack, and former patron of all my old haunts and schools. A little bit younger than me but a lot of shared history to mull over a Liberty beer, and toast a Swans win if not a Welsh win.

West Side Story original costumes

Said farewell to our local friends, and threw ourselves back into sightseeing. The New York Public Library the next stop, hoping to see a ghost, but instead it was a whizz round an exhibition or 2.  The building did remind me of those early scenes of the film in what appears to have become another important backdrop of this trip.

We then walked down past (and briefly through) Grand Central Station although have been there before and it perhaps not as jaw dropping as I had been led to believe.  I had a view that it might be nice to see the U.N building and remind myself, as I often do when travelling, as to the power of collaboration.  Sadly it was pretty much closed on a Saturday, that in itself felt worrying and slightly ironic in these turbulent times.

It was on for a stroll back up towards 5th Avenue, and stumbled across a rather quirky Library Walk with quotes from books every few yards instead of a paving slab, walk of fame style. Took us back to where we had started, the Public Library again, which also thankfully had public toilets! (those beers in the rugby making their presence felt)

next trip Greece, early warning

Afternoon was getting dusky, a quick Nathans hot dog for me on the fly, as it is just something you have to do right? Joey I think would have insisted upon it. We were going to go shopping in Macys, but without Rachel to show us around there or Bloomingdales, it somehow got away from us.

Having got into our evening clobber (effectively me changing a jersey for a shirt, could there be a New Jersey joke there Chandler) we made what would most likely be our last trip out toward Times Square. Stopped off in a diner for a hearty pre show burger just in case there's any danger of me falling hungry on this trip!  Chrissi had a sandwich, don't think it was Ross's sandwich.

Then it was lights of broadway, the big ones will inspire you or so I am led to believe. The smaller off strip ones equally of interest as we were coralled up some stairs into a small theatre, as I'd booked tickets for Friends, the Musical Parody.

A couple of hours of comfortable inside jokes and giggles about an ensemble that felt very known to Chrissi and I. The parody cast were all young, probably not even born when the series aired, but did the affectionate spoof proud, and took us on a trip down memory lane.  The actors taking on the Rachel and Chandler characters showed some real talent.

No-one needs to question how we are doing, we could not BE any more happy with our New York day and evening.  Thanks for the memories Matthew Perry.