Friends

Welcome to part two of our “walk in your favorite NYC characters’ footsteps” series, where we give you the deets on popular TV show hangouts. We think it’s a fun way to spend an afternoon — or even a day — and potentially makes for a great date idea. You’ll also score brownie points with out-of-towners coming to visit you, especially if they’re major fans of any of the shows below.

Sex and the City

It’s a no brainer to include this popular TV show. I mean, it probably gets at least partial credit for making people think of NYC as such a sexy and cosmopolitan place.

Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte were all over the big apple, but so many of their hot spots were in Manhattan itself. Now, there are plenty of guided tours you can sign up for that may be of interest. For example, On Location Tours does a great one that includes stops at over 40 locations, and we imagine it’d be a lot of fun to pal around with other SATC fans on a tour bus.

If you’re more of an individualist or prefer to set your own pace, a self-guided walking tour may be more your thang. We like this one by FreeToursByFoot, which does a nice job of highlighting some of those favorite SATC moments.

For example, you could start at the flagship Tiffany and Co. (727 Fifth Avenue, between 56th and 57th St.), where Trey re-proses to Charlotte. And speaking of nuptials, hop on over to the gorgeous NYC Public Library (Fifth Avenue and 42nd St.), which is where Mr. Big and Carrie planned to get hitched. You can also pay homage to Carrie via a little shoe shopping at none other than Manolo Blahnik (31 W 54th St, between 5th and 6th Avenues).

Seinfeld

So Seinfeld was technically filmed in California, but the show itself was set in New York City, which is where you can find a lot of the TV show’s famous landmarks.

The number one must-hit spot, of course, is Monk’s Cafe, where Elaine, Jerry, George and Kramer spent way too much of their time. The cafe itself isn’t real, but the exterior of Tom’s Restaurant (2880 Broadway) is the filmed facade.

A second contender for where the crew spends most of their time is at Jerry’s Apartment, located at 129 West 81st Street, Apartment 5A. The outside of the apartment was actually filmed in Los Angeles, but it’s still cool to go to the location. Elaine’s apartment is located near Central Park at 447 Central Park West.

Two additional places you can venture to that are completely real (unlike Monk’s), is Kramer’s H&H Bagels (1551 2nd Ave), where he went on strike, or you could nab one of his favorite hot dogs at Gray’s Papaya (2090 Broadway), which is called “Papaya King” in the series.

If hot dogs and bagels aren’t your thing (I mean, they’re so New York, but we won’t judge you), perhaps you could slurp up some soup at Mendy’s (61 E 34th St) . This post by HuffPo has some other places you can visit.

Friends

This list would be so remiss without Friends. Like SATC, there’s a guided tour you can take with On Location Tours, which makes everything super easy for you. Note that Friends was filmed in California, but many of the exterior shots were filmed in NYC to keep that Big Apple vibe.

For those who prefer to do a self-guided tour, we’ve got your back. We recommend started at Pulitzer Fountain in Central Park (Grand Army Plaza at 59th Street and Fifth Avenue), which you’ll recognize from the opening credits. While this wasn’t the actual shooting location, the California fountain it was shot in is a replica of the original.

We’re bummed to inform you that Central Perk, the coffee shop where Joey, Monica, Chandler, Phoebe and Rachel spent a lot of time, isn’t real. They actually created a pop up shop, which closed in about a year’s time. Don’t fret, though. You can stop by the Solow Building (9 W 57th St #45), where Chandler worked, or hit up Lucille Lortel Theater (121 Christopher St), where Joey put on an off-Broadway performance.

Another cool spot to hit up is the Corner of Bedford and Grove, which is the apartment building where all six characters dwelled.

Stay tuned for part three of the series!

By Wendy Rose Gould

While I tend to shop alone, there’s something particularly delightful about a retail date with a girlfriend (or several). In fact, I find that some of my best shopping is done when I’m with another person who keeps me fiscally responsible and realistic in terms of what flatters me and what looked better on the mannequin. I often rely on that second opinion and, even without the presence of shopping buddy, send snapshots to girlfriends (or the husband) to get their opinion.

In addition to giving candid fashion advice, though, shopping with girlfriends can be therapeutic. If you’re anything like me, shopping is a very personal process. As women, we’re naturally body-conscious (perhaps even more so in the presence of other females). Additionally, our individual style choices are a reflection of our innermost selves. Sharing the whole clothes-shopping experience with another person requires you to open up and get personal. For that reason, shopping can be a genuine bonding experience.

Another therapeutic benefit of shopping with your girlfriends: it’s not always about the clothes or accessories. Use the retail excursion as an opportunity to gab about whatever is on your mind. Vent office frustrations, share the week’s accomplishments, dish on your romantic life, etc. Be a good listener/empathizer/celebrator/etc. for your girlfriends who want to share, too.

Do’s and Don’ts of Shopping with Girlfriends

Do: Plan ahead. Talk about what stores you want to hit, what’s on your shopping list and how much you’re willing to spend. This makes it much easier to hold each other accountable.

Don’t: Invite the whole gang. An intimate group will make for a more meaningful (and simpler) shopping experience. One to three shopping buddies is plenty.

Do: Be sensitive to your friends’ budgets and fashion preferences. Choose a location with a diverse range of high/low end stores and be open to shopping at all of them.

Don’t: Hog the mirror. If your friend is admiring her own reflection, give her the space and then use it when she’s finished.

Do: Always lead with the positive. If the garment doesn’t look that great on your girlfriend, be sensitive about it. For example, “That collar is so flattering to your neckline. I wonder how the top would look with this skirt instead of the jeans.”

Don’t: Gossip about mutual friends. You shouldn’t do this in any situation. Doing so makes others wonder if you talk about them when they aren’t around and they’re less likely to open up.

By Wendy Rose Gould