Travel to our favorite fictional hangouts
We have decided to build a list of the most famous hangouts where we’ve all been spending virtual hours having fabricated drinks with fiction characters. I’m talking about that coffee we shared with Rachel at The Central Perk, the beer we spilled on Barney after one of his legendary jokes at Maclaren’s or that time when we danced with Randy and Earl at the Crab Shack. You’ve been there too right?
But this is not just fun or nostalgia. There are some very interesting facts to observe on the shows from the hangouts of the characters. For instance, the main difference between Friends and How I Met Your Monther can be symbolize by the opposition of hangouts. These two great shows share a lot of common points if summed up as the story of 5/6 friends living, dating, loving, working in NYC. But in Friends they always meet in a coffee shop while the guys from HIMYM have established their HQ in an Irish pub.
When Ross, Rachel and Monica are having lattes and cappucinos, Barney, Lily and Marshall share a bottle of whiskey or beers. I can barely remember an episode of Friends where one of them is seen drunk; and I’m quite a fan owning the complete 10-season boxset. But I’m still laughing at this episode where Barney and Ted get wasted watching Robin’s show having a shot every time she says “but hum”. To me it represents the evolution between 2 eras of the modern television. It’s now more accepted to show drinking people on TV but it’s also highly recommended for the ratings. More sex, more booze, more violence, more fun. Yes, I like HIMYM better even if I still enjoy the occasional re-air of a Friends episode with nostalgia...
But enough with the amateur sociology and let see where else we like to hangout in our imagination (in no particular order):
The Central Perk in Friends
Probably the most famous coffee shop in the fictional world. Owned by the legendary dye-haired Gunther and located in the Upper West Side (Christopher Street & 7th avenue), it was the hangout of six awesome New Yorkers for ten years. They serve lattes, cappuccinos and an assortment of cakes/pastries. I heard their muffins are delicious.
The MacLarens in How I Met Your Mother
A New York pub famous for the regular shows of one the local, Barney. One booth is dedicated to five regulars so you shouldn’t sit there. It’s a typical Irish pub as you can find them all over the world.
The Max in Saved By The Bell
It’s not really clear where The Max is located but that’s where the gang from Saved by the Bell hangs out after school. It’s a quite typical American joint with neon lights and a jukebox. No booze there, only milkshakes, dance and magic tricks by the owner, Max.
Arnold’s Drive In in Happy Days
This lovely dinner is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It’s a typical joint from the 50’s with a lot of dancing going on, partly thanks to Fonzie magic ability to operate the jukebox for free. The owner is originally a Japanese dude that teaches martial arts after hours but I don’t think anyone remembers him. He’s actually quite famous since he’s also Miyagi from the Karate Kid! Everyone remembers Al who only arrived in season 4. Can’t remember Fonzie, Ritchie and the rest drinking alcohol but I can’t say for sure.
The Peach Pit in Beverly Hills 90210
The Peach Pit is a typical diner located in Beverly Hills of course. But there’s another entrance that leads to the Peach Pit After Dark when the night comes. The owner is Nat. Steve and then David are the managers of the place. The end of the show became darker with Dylan starting to do drugs there...
Moe’s Tavern in The Simpsons
Located in Springfield, this seem to be pretty much the only pub of the city. And there’s also only a couple of customers. But if you want to meet Homer Simpson, that where you should head to. Buy him a Duff and cheer with his mates Barney, Lenny and Carl. The owner, Moe, says that the Rob Roy was invented there.
The Bada Bing in The Sopranos
The Bada Bing is a go-go bar located in Route 17 in Lodi, New Jersey. That’s where you can go sit next to Tony Sopranos and sip some Scotch while looking at the topless dancers. Be careful to what you say though if you don’t get beat down like the bartender regularly does. Also there are apparently pretty dodgy things going on in the office on the first floor. I wouldn’t venture over there if I were you, the bar is said to be owned by the mafia.
The Bait Shop in The OC
The place to be if you are a rich kid from Orange County. The Bait Shop is a night club/concert venue in Newport Beach and seem to be pretty much the only attraction around. We might pass on that one and make our way to LA.
The CrabShack in My Name Is Earl
Run by the infamous Darnell aka Crab Man, the Crab Shack is the only hangout if you happen to live in a trailer park in Camden County. That’s where you can meet your lovely neighbours Earl and his brother Randy. You might notice that Earl is a super nice guy and if he ever did anything wrong to you he will probably make it up as soon as he sees you. Just a question of karma...
Special mentions:
- The Shark Pool in Heartbreak High
- Monk’s Dinner in Seinfeld
- Cheers in Cheers
- The Talon in Smallville
Alex
Thanks a lot to our friend Richard for his first illustration for Hejorama. Brilliant!
