With the four new episodes of Gilmore Girls coming to Netflix, fans are eager to find out who Rory ended up with (our money is on Jess) and whether or not Lorelai and Luke are happily married (with a child?). It is also equally exciting to return to the beautiful, beloved Stars Hollow. For UConn students, Stars Hollow is actually closer to home than some may realize and it doesn’t even require a Netflix account to visit.
The fictional town of Stars Hollow was inspired by and based upon a real place in Connecticut. Washington Depot is a small rural town in Litchfield County, which is less than two hours away from UConn. And although the familiar faces may not be there, this is a road trip that would thrill any Gilmore Girls devotee!
Amy Sherman-Palladino, the creator and executive producer of Gilmore Girls came up with the idea for the show after staying at the Mayflower Grace Inn in Washington, Connecticut. In an interview with Desert News in 2001, she said “at the time I was there, it was beautiful, it was magical, and it was feeling of warmth and small-town camaraderie. . . . There was a longing for that in my own life, and I thought — that’s something that I would really love to put out there.”
Washington is a town that I have visited many times with my family and recently, I was there again. So for those of you, who have too many exams and papers to hit the road right now, let me bring you on a small tour.
When one enters this quaint village, the first noticeable thing is that there is suddenly no cell phone service. That’s right, believe it or not a place actually exists in 2015 (in our state no less) that doesn’t have cell phone coverage. A tower was approved and is almost equipped and complete but at the moment it is like stepping back in time. While the idea of living somewhere where our iPhones would be useless makes us a little panicky, a day spent in Washington, CT proves itself to be a relaxing and fairy tale like retreat from our busy lives.
Although it wouldn’t be realistic to expect to experience an exact replica of Stars Hollow, one starts noticing similarities right away. After passing a town green with a white steeple church and a few small businesses bordering it, one will coast down a charming hill into the town center. This is where you find a coffee shop on a corner called Marty’s Cafe. Marty’s provides a warm environment where members of the community frequently meet up for coffee. Sound familiar? It isn’t hard to picture Lorelai and Rory getting their daily (or knowing them, hourly) coffee fix here with Luke busy behind the counter. There are more healthy choices on the menu here than at Luke’s like tomato basil soup, smoked salmon sandwich and garden pizzetta, but it has the same welcoming atmosphere that makes a person happy to hunker down for a good long while.
After getting a cup of coffee and a snack from Marty’s (personally, I recommend their bagels), one might head down the sidewalk in front of the café. While walking, one can’t help but admire the large mature trees encompassing the sidewalk, which look especially beautiful on a fall day. With the large old trees, wide sidewalks and slower pace, you might as well be in Stars Hollow.
Around the bend from Marty’s Café, is a small independent bookstore called The Hickory Stick Bookshop. Independent bookstores are something you don’t come across everyday anymore and this one anchors the whole village. It has best sellers, mysteries, the latest non-fiction and a large, colorful children’s book alcove. It also always has a good amount of shoppers browsing. Obviously, our favorite bookworm Rory would love it here! And Jess’s novel would have absolutely graced the shelves.
Crossing the Green Hill Road would lead one to The Washington Food Market. This is definitely not the modern day, brightly lit, mega grocery store like Stop & Shop or Big Y. However, the small market is stocked with everything one would need or want for a traditional country dinner. Except, unfortunately, no Dean looking adorable in a Doose’s Market apron ready to help reach the items on the high shelves.
The post office is next door and, across the way, one can spot the Bryan Memorial Town Hall. This large scale building faces the village and appears to be keeping watch over it. It makes one wonder if there are town hall meetings there like those in Stars Hollow that entertained us to no end!
As the tour of the town winds down, one can head back up the hill and take a left to get a look at The Mayflower Grace Inn. The inn is beautiful and elegant and, although it may not be The Dragonfly, Lorelai and Sookie would definitely approve. We are so happy that Amy Sherman-Palladino stayed here and got to know this great corner of Connecticut so many years ago.