Here's Sarah Paulson and Ella Beatty spending time together during a casual outing in New York City weeks before turning heads at the Tony Awards ... and Ella's grabbing Sarah's arm. TMZ obtained video of the longtime best friends spotted near The Mark Hotel on May 4 ... one day before the Met Gala. The swanky hotel is a celebrity hotspot that serves as home base for many stars ahead of fashion's biggest night ... and we're told Sarah and Ella spent part of the afternoon window shopping in the