Best of: Tv Tourist

New York, as a center of the American entertainment industry, has always been a popular filming location. The famous TV shows that have graced New York’s streets have brought fame to various locations, including Columbia in “Gossip Girl” and Barnard in WB’s short-lived “The Bedford Diaries.” But for the real TV tourist traps, one must look beyond Columbia’s gates, to the iconic spots dotted throughout the city.

“30 Rock”
The address of the building—30 Rockefeller Center—couldn’t be easier to remember for fans of NBC’s runaway hit about the goings-on behind the scenes of a sketch comedy show. For students who want to see the real deal, tours of the show’s namesake run every fifteen minutes on weekends. Highly trained tour guides point out the building’s impressive marble floors and gilded banisters, but the real thrills come from spotting celebrities entering and exiting.

Magnolia Bakery in the Village
Now that Magnolia has expanded, some say this quaint bakery has lost its cache and become a true tourist trap. On any given day, the line for the bakery’s signature white-on-white cupcakes and other old-fashioned baked goods may extend around the block, with tourists hoping to get a picture of the exact place where Miranda Hobbes and Carrie Bradshaw shared a cupcake more than a decade ago. While an average day can be mayhem at Magnolia, students should steer clear of the bakery’s entire five block radius when the Sex and the City Bus Tour docks.

“Friends” Apartment
Although “Friends” was never filmed in New York, the apartment building where the gang lived is located at 90 Bedford St. in Greenwich Village. The building is rather unremarkable and not incongruous with the surrounding area, which makes it easy to miss, but for the true “Friends” fanatic, it will always be a reminder of one of the most popular sitcoms of the ’90s and the fond memories of our “Friends.”

Tom’s Restaurant
This diner is frequented by tourists and Columbia students alike, who are looking for a cheap place to eat and fondly remember the ’90s. Although the inside looks nothing like the set where “Seinfeld” was filmed, the plethora of “Seinfeld” paraphernalia spread throughout the eatery is enough to satisfy.