In this economy, this is probably reason number one that I’d want to live in Stars Hollow. I mean, look at the size of that house! Lorelai’s bedroom alone would make anyone want to move into that tiny hamlet.

When Max proposes to Lorelai, the two end up having their engagement party smack dab in the center of town. The entire square is done up beautifully, with pretty twinkle lights in every tree, dozens of tables and chairs all topped with lavender cloth, and fruit and flower arrangements, and it seems that just about everyone is invited. Who paid for this? Max is a teacher and Lorelai runs an inn, but this seems like it might be a bit beyond two average people’s salaries, unless maybe Max was hiding a small fortune for just such an occasion.

Aside from the few pranks that Jess pulled (and that one incidence of vandalism involving deviled eggs), there doesn’t appear to be any crime happening in Stars Hollow. Must be nice to live in a place where the 5 o’clock news doesn’t feature a 10-year-old getting shot in a drive-by, a convenience store being rammed by a pick-up truck, or a corrupt politician getting caught by the FBI (aka, stuff that happens in the rest of America way too frequently).

I live in Miami, a city that has a CVS, Walgreens, Target, or Wal-Mart on just about every major corner. While we have some small biz, many of them fail due to the intense corporate competition (not that there's anything wrong with those big chains; I honestly don't know how the Gilmores lived without them). Stars Hollow, on the other hand, seems to have mom-and-pop shops a-plenty. There’s Luke’s, Gypsy’s, Stars Hollow Books, Kim’s Antiques, the Read White and Blue Theater (as seen above)...the list goes on and on.

It must be so, so nice to get into your car every day (if you even need to) and not experience tremendous fear for your life as you commute to school, work, or pretty much anywhere else. The only drawback might be a lengthy red light now and again.

I mean technically this isn’t a good thing, but it does make for a good story, doesn’t it?

Stars Hollow isn’t just the kind of place where strangers greet each other on the street. Because really, there are no strangers. Neighbors here really come together when the going gets tough, like when Babette’s cat Cinnamon dies, and everyone throws her a wake. Or when Luke’s uncle dies and Lorelai and Rory help out at the diner while he plans the funeral. Or when the whole town stays at the Dragonfly to make sure everything is ready for their opening.

I’m pretty sure if you called my local Dominos to make the world’s largest pizza for a birthday, they’d laugh and hang up. Yet in this mythical town, the local pizzeria owner is more than happy to comply.

I’m the type of person who constantly needs things going on around her, and Stars Hollow has local events in spades. The dance marathon? The Bracebridge Dinner? Movie night in the square? The snowman building contest? The Bid-A-Basket Festival? The Festival of Living Art? The Revolutionary War re-enactments? The freaking Founders Firelight Festival?! All truly amazing.

The incredible Grant Lee-Phillips (who once played with notable acts like Pearl Jam and REM and was the frontman for Grant Lee Buffalo) played the very important role of town troubadour. Who wouldn’t want to live in a place where some guy randomly walks around singing songs about the town itself? And really good songs, might I add.

When Lane gets put on bedrest, the town hustles to set up her baby shower at Miss Patty’s and the ladies go and wheel Lane (who’s resting comfortably in her bed) from her place to the shower venue. This could never happen anywhere else.

C’mon, who wouldn’t want to be involved in local politics in a town like this?!

Miss Patty says it best:

“This boys and girls is the story of true love. A beautiful girl from one county, a handsome boy from another. They meet and they fall in love. Separated by distance and by parents who did not approve of the union, the young couple dreamed of a day that they could be together. They wrote each other beautiful letters. Letters of longing and passion, letters full of promises and plans for the future. Soon the separation proved too much for either one of them to bear. So one night, cold and black with no light to guide them, they both snuck out of their homes and ran away as fast as they could. It was so dark out that they were both soon lost and it seemed as if they would never find each other. Finally the girl dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her lovely face "oh my love, where are you? How will I find you?" Suddenly a band of stars appeared in the sky, these stars shone so brightly they lit up the entire countryside. The girl jumped to her feet and followed the path of the stars until finally, she found herself standing right where the town gazebo is today. And there, waiting for her was her one true love who had also been led here by the blanket of friendly stars. And that my friends is how Stars Hollow came to be.”

Dang.

It’s the venue for so many important moments on the show, like the place where Luke and Lorelai cheers to their engagement, and the location for Liz and TJ’s Renaissance-themed wedding.

Lorelai’s love of snow always makes me long for the white, powdery stuff. And Stars Hollow is the kind of town that just looks way more beautiful covered in it. I can't really find any downside to living there.

Who isn’t dying to try out Al’s Pancake World? I can’t be the only one...

This enchanting little hamlet is home to colorful characters like Kirk, Miss Patty, Babette, and Taylor. All quirky in their own ways, but in the end, all really kind, good-hearted folks. Who wouldn’t want to encounter folks like these on the regular? No wonder Lorelai moved here and never went back to Hartford.