Dream Towns, Fantasy and Real

When I visit my doctor once a year for a check-up and whine about that 15 lbs I can never seem to lose, he always goes into this big spiel about how I should buy one of those exercise stepper thingies, forgetting we've had this talk before.  He pulls out the step he has tucked under the examining table just for these such moments and he demonstrates, stepping up and down, up and down, all the while explaining it's a great way to get exercise each day because you can do it "while you watch TV."

I interrupt his demonstration saying, "I never watch TV."  He stops and stares at me with this blank expression, like no one has ever before uttered those words in examining room B.  Crickets.  I break the silence saying, "There's just never anything on that I like."  He's got nothing and we progress on with our yearly visit. ;}

On those rare occasions when I do watch TV, it's usually PBS.  So, when Maree shared the beautiful photos of her sister Kae's backyard, and said they had decorated it like "Stars Hollow in the Gilmore Girls," I was sadly clueless. I had heard of the show, but had never seen it.  Now, I wish I had.  Wonder if it's still on.

After seeing Kae's backyard, I couldn't wait to Google "Stars Hollow."  Seriously.  I could hardly finish writing yesterday's post.  I kept thinking, "There's a little town (real or not, I didn't care) that has a resemblance in some way to Kae's lovely backyard with the beautiful gazebo?"  Point me in the right direction...I'm own my way!

As I was driving into Atlanta to meet a friend for lunch today, I was once again obsessing thinking about Stars Hollow. There's the gazebo!  We actually have a gazebo in my not-so-small town.  And come to think of it, we had one in the town where I grew up.

Photo from Warner Brothers Studio Tour Site

On the way to my luncheon date, I thought about how completely I can get lost in the fantasy of a quaint "dream" town.

Stars Hollow set, Photo from Warner Brother Studio Tour Site

Doesn't even matter if it's real because anytime I want, I can close my eyes and I'm there.

Lorelai's houe in the Gilmore Girls, photo from Wikipedia

I'm strolling the sidewalks, stopping occasionally to greet friends and neighbors, patting their cute doggies on their sweet, furry heads.  Or, maybe I'm shopping for antiques, pretty lace linens and home made soaps in the cozy shops like these in Coupeville, Washington (a real town) in the movie, Practical Magic.

Photo from movie

I'll tuck my day's shopping into the wicker basket on my pink bike...yes, pink bike.  Work with me here...it's my fantasy. ;)

And then I'll head back home to my storybook cottage.

Hansel Cottage in Carmel, Photo scanned from the book, Cottages by the Sea

Or, maybe I'll be living in a little English cottage like the one in The Holiday

Or, a beautiful old Victorian like this one nestled along the water in Practical Magic.

I'll read books, sip lemonade and take naps in the swing on the screened-in porch.

 When I get sick from drinking too much lemonade, I'll go visit Doc Martin in Fern Cottage.  That's his office there on the hillside. (small gray building just left of the large gray one.)

Picture from Wikipedia

Doc Martin lives in the quaint fishing village of Port Issac (Cornwall, United Kingdom.)   He'll fix me right up, in his no-nonsense, get-down-to-business, sort of way.  Have you seen the show?  Don't think it's airing right now, but not sure.

Picture from Wikipedia

When it's vacation time, I'll head for Seaside, Florida, another town that's real,

Photo from Zimbio

 ...but always looks like a fantasy place in magazines.

Photo from Zimbio

Or, maybe I'll vacation in Savannah and visit Wormsloe, where after a dreamy ride down Oak Avenue,

I'll head over to the Isle of Hope another real, and enchanting place.

What's your favorite "fantasy or real" dream town?  Any movie towns or TV towns you wish you could visit in real life?  Any real towns you would love to pack up and move to?  Please share in a comment the real or fantasy movie/TV town you would love to live in.