Bye Chandler Bing

Hiiii...

I found out at work. I was on a break and scrolling through IG when I saw a post that was 3 minutes old...Matthew Perry Dead at 54. I screamed out to whoever was listening. I work with quite a few young people and another girl and I had to explain who he was to a guy. I was pretty sure everybody has heard of FRIENDS. I mean it is still in syndication after being off the air for over 19 years.

I don't follow that many celebrities, actually only three. Rob Lowe, John Stamos and Matthew Perry. I have been fans of all of them since my teens. I would follow Keanu too, if he was on social. Anyways, I am still processing how I feel. it's weird to grieve over someone you have never meet, but has been a part of your life for years.

I remember where I was when I found out about the deaths of Princess Di, JFK Jr, & Michael Jackson, but they didn't hit as hard as Matthew Perry's. Not even Luke Perry who was a day older than me. I have never been that into famous people, so I am tripping out that his death has affected me this way. 

I was always "Team Chandler" I like the other friends, but I loved Matthew Perry and his portrayal of Chandler Bing. I remember him from some other projects he did before FRIENDS, most notably one with Valerie Bertinelli. He played her little brother. I also watched the other shows that he did after FRIENDS, plus most of his movies.

When FRIENDS premiered 29 years ago, I worked on Thursdays and did not watch the first couple of episodes, but I started watching and/or recording from the 4th episode in, "The One with George Stephanopoulos." It was on my 28th birthday and I was hooked. I mean it was about a group of single people around my age. A show about how your friends become your family when you're in your twenties. It also helped that they were Gen-Xers. I watched every single episode from then on, that night or the next day, until "The Last One" in 2004. 

Like I said, I loved Chandler Bing, and Matthew Perry. The show got me through my mid-twenties until the night after I gave birth to my one and only son on May 6, 2004. I still have the TV Guide from that week, not the newspaper, since the cast was on the cover. Something people did/do to commemorate their child's birth.

I have watched FRIENDS numerous times throughout the years, usually whenever I would catch it on tv. Right after I lost my husband I purposely watched the whole series in order again. I had already watched the series in order for the with my son when he started high school. He's a fan, too. See my post on our visit to the Friends Experience. {the photos are from that day}

I am still processing this weird feeling...I lost a friend that I never actually knew

The F • R • I • E • N • D • S Experience

Hi lovely readers,

I don't know about you, but I was and still am a HUGE Friends fan. I was 27 in 1994, the year it started, and just like the path of the Central Perk crew~I went through more than one relationship, had many ups and downs in my life, finally found my forever person, and became a mom {the day before the last episode}. 

I saw an ad on IG earlier in the year about the Long Beach, CA arrival of Friends Experience. I of course had to join.

I took my favorite person, the one born on May 5, 2004. He's watched the series at least once in order, and humored me this summer by watching it almost nightly. We went on a Wednesday afternoon, his last day of being in Southern California before going back to school.  

It was billed as the one near Long Beach since it was in the city of Lakewood, in the mall that my first job was at. Driving up to the former Joanne's/Nordstrom Rack/Dick's that had turned into an experience was weird. Once we entered the door the ghosts of retail past disappeared. 

There were so many details throughout the maze of rooms. Every corner we turned was a new discovery. I took lots of photos, plus paid for a digital photo pass the supplemented some of our photos taken by other fans.

We had a great time hanging out in Central Perk, chatting in Monica's kitchen and relaxing in Joey & Chandler's recliners. Plus, trying to get the couch up the stairs, and revisiting the famous couch in the intro. 

Here's a video recap of our experience~ @stephanieleonacross IG Reel

Try and check it out if you're a fan and it comes to your town.

Until next time...