twenty-eight candles.: friends forever.

Thanks A :)

A couple weeks ago, I got the nicest card in the mail from a very dear friend - which just goes to show, that no matter how far you are, friendship doesn't really have any limits.

Seeing this card, it instantly reminded me of a place I had gone with another friend to catch up and hang out. A friend who, for the past three years, has managed to live within hours of me. Whether it was London-Paris or Tianjin-Beijing, I can always count on him to make the short trip to come visit!

So just where did we go? What more ideal place can there be, than the Friends Café in Beijing.

Just steps from my cousin's apartment in the Chaoyangmenwai area of Beijing, this homage to one of television's internationally-beloved sitcoms, was actually quite difficult to find. Hidden away in an office building among hair salons and other shops, the replicated café is always crowded - not the best place to study, says my cousin J.

Walking in and of course being the weekend and all, there were no empty seats to be found . But just as we were leaving, the waitress suggested we try Joey's apartment, the adjoining annex that people seem to forget about since it was surprisingly empty! The copycat-like details were pretty accurate, from the swivelling La-Z-boys down to the oversized television unit, it seemed like the only thing missing were the pet chicken and duck. The menu itself had your ordinary café items - cappucinos, cakes, the like. Food-wise, this isn't a place I would recommend but to come for the décor, and stay for the company, sounds like my kind of coffee shop.