Orlando,  Play,  TV,  Wine

Laurie-lai Gilmore: My Day as a Gilmore Girl

November 19, 2018 / 39 Comments
I have a confession.  Lean in closely, so I don’t have to broadcast it to the world…

I’m addicted to television.  I don’t care how I get my eyes on it – stream it, DVR it, On Demand.  Heck…I’ll even sit down with Survivor and The Bachelor as they air so I can live tweet.  But there is one series that I will watch over and over and over again.

Gilmore Girls

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The original season had 154 episodes while the 2016 Netflix reboot “A Year in the Life” added an additional 4 to the total.  If I could venture a guess, I have watched all episodes a minimum of 4 times each.  That brings my estimated total of episodes watched to…

632 times!!!  And I’m probably going to double that total within the next five to ten years.  The quirkiness of the series with its fast-paced dialogue peppered with obscure pop culture references makes me laugh, cry, and sometimes shake my fist at the television.

To pay homage to Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, I decided to experience a day as a Gilmore Girl in and around the Orlando area.  Now…I get it.  It’s no Stars Hollow.  There is no Luke’s Diner or Dragonfly Inn, but you know what?  There’s a little Gilmore in and around all of us.

Check it out…

Coffee, Coffee, Coffee…at Foxtail’s Farmhouse

Coffee is beloved by the Gilmore Girls and by yours truly, Laurie-lai Gilmore (for a day.)  It’s a beverage that was sipped so frequently on the show that I had to Google the coffee count for the original series.  And according to Refinery29, the total number was 503!  Or the number of cups that I have throughout a year.

To get my caffeine fix, I headed over to Foxtail’s Farmhouse in Winter Park with my Jess (a.k.a. Jared).  Foxtail Coffee had been all over my Instagram feed, so it seemed like the perfect place to “Gilmore.”  And it didn’t disappoint!  The location and decor were charmingly industrial.  And my café con leche was crafted with barista aplomb and as smooth as Logan. <insert winky face>

Oy with the Brunch Already at The Parkview

After coffee, we made our way to the Park Avenue area of Winter Park for some eats and shopping.  Primarily, I have been to The Parkview for a glass of wine (or two), but this time we checked out their brunch menu.  They must have known I was “Gilmore-ing” as they gave us a couple of mini doughnuts to nosh on as we waited for our BLT tartine.

Note to self – Go back to The Parkview for brunch again soon.  So. Freaking.  Good.

Book Shopping at Brandywine Books

Tucked into one of the alcoves along Park Avenue is a used bookstore called Brandywine Books.  It’s a cozy shop that is crammed with used hardcovers that take up residence in every available crook and nanny in its limited space.  If you love the smell of musty, dusty books, this is the spot for you!  I tend to pick up an old cookbook or two during every visit.  This time was no different as I picked up a Jacque Pépin techniques book and a Julia Child biography.  I am sure both Rory and Sookie would approve!

Channeling Sookie at Williams-Sonoma

As much as I try to shop local, I will always spend money at Williams-Sonoma.  They have ALL THE GADGETS and some specialty food items that to go home with me (they are cheeky!), so I popped in to get some holiday gifts and a new Skinny Jalapeno Key Lime Margarita Mix.  I bet Sookie would be down to sip a few margs with me.

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A Night In of a (or with) Lifetime

The final “act” of the day was a date with my TV with a little Gilmore-certified “food de junk.”  I had a little cocktail hour in my Lady Parlor which added a little Friday night dinner vibe to the festivities.  I don’t think Emily Gilmore would ever serve wine in a can.  Or maybe she would from her new home in Nantucket…

Cocktail Hour
Lorelai Gilmore and I have the same initials.  This pleases me.

After the Lady Parlor libation, I put together a spread of all the stuff that would make any doctor cringe in my living room.  Nutritional value wasn’t allowed a seat at the coffee table.  Admittedly, I noshed on bits and pieces of everything, but my hunger and metabolism don’t hold a candle to the fictional Gilmore Girls.  It was fun trying, though!

TV 3
Lifetime Movies are a campy, good time.  And they have the best titles.  “My Baby is Gone!!” is a personal fave.
All the Goodies
Bird’s eye view of the caloric debauchery.  Time for truth.  I think Red Vines are disgusting.  I used Twizzlers instead.

I’ll forever miss new episodes of Gilmore Girls but thankful that they are just a click away with my remote.  They’ll be always be quoted and have a special place in my heart.  Maybe next year, I’ll be Laurie-lai Gilmore for a day again. A girl can dream…

Have you ever seen the show?  If so, which character is your favorite?  Also, some people “cosplay” their favorite characters.  Would you call this a “cos-do”?  Does that make sense?  Let me know in the comments below!

Work Hard.  Play Hard.  Drink Chard.  And, well, Happy Almost Thanksgiving!

Laurie

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Gilmore Pin

 

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39 Comments

  • Momica

    November 19, 2018 at 4:58 pm Reply

    I was with you all the way, Laurie-lai, right up until the moment you threw shade at red vines. Twizzlers? TWIZZLERS? Hang your Gilmore-disrespecting head. Would you substitute healthy grain bread for Pop Tarts? Or green tea for coffee? Or Detroit for Stars Hollow? (No disrespect to Detroit lovers). Or Gordon Ramsey for Sookie? (And I am personally completely entertained by Chef Ramsey, especially when he calls his contestants donkeys and then smashes their under-cooked fish). My point is never mess with perfection. And I think I speak for all of us when I say Gilmore Girls is perfection. But other than that minor glitch, I LOVED your foray into the Gilmore universe.

    • lauriegannon1

      November 19, 2018 at 5:01 pm Reply

      Note to self: Give Momica a hug and a HUGE a$$ bag of Red Vines when I visit next month.

      Your comments gave me the biggest smile! Let’s do a little Gilmore-ing with Hell’s Kitchen! Let’s!!! Let’s!!!

  • gmsmith1980

    November 19, 2018 at 5:46 pm Reply

    Oh my gosh! It looks like you had an absolute blast as a Gilmore Girl. I have got to try this with my oldest daughter. It would be so much fun to live a day as Gilmore Girls! I do have to agree with you about red vines, I would also substitute twizzlers. Love it!

    • lauriegannon1

      November 19, 2018 at 5:55 pm Reply

      It was so much fun! I think having a Gilmore Day with your daughter sounds like the best time!

      Pop-Tarts just came out with a sugar cookie flavor. I tried to find it, but they weren’t on store shelves in time for GGD. 🙂

  • bmcharnley

    November 20, 2018 at 9:29 pm Reply

    I also have a confession to make….I’ve never seen Gilmore Girls!! 😉 I do also really love TV too. I’m sad we don’t have cable…but we have netflix! 🙂

  • Sophie

    November 20, 2018 at 10:56 pm Reply

    I’ve never actually watched it… How shameful is that?? I’m not much of a TV person but I am TOTALLY a snack person so I eat the snacks while my fiance watches the TV! Still looks like you had a great day though channeling your inner gilmore girl

    • lauriegannon1

      November 21, 2018 at 10:43 am Reply

      The first six seasons were FANTASTIC! The creators/writers left after the sixth season. The seventh season is still good but not quite as good as the first six.

  • Kiwi

    November 21, 2018 at 4:03 am Reply

    I never watched Gilmore Girls but I heard they got a reboot. I have been invested in some shows before to where I felt like I connected to them in real life.

  • Dani

    November 21, 2018 at 9:41 am Reply

    LOVE THIS! I am a huge fan of the show as well. I love your spread for your night in – totally Gilmore. I always thought I was a lot like Rory when I was younger, but as I get older I feel more like Lorelai. Can’t go wrong either way!

    • lauriegannon1

      November 21, 2018 at 10:34 am Reply

      It’s funny. Rory definitely had a lot of Lorelai qualities in the reboot. I love them both dearly. I do wish they would come back. Sigh…

    • lauriegannon1

      November 21, 2018 at 10:32 am Reply

      Stars Hollow is so darn special. I really wanted to find a cute gazebo to just sit and have a cup of coffee. Maybe I will do that next time. 🙂

  • alison

    November 21, 2018 at 2:41 pm Reply

    What a fun adventure to recreate a gilmore girl day. I’ve never watched the show, but their destinations look fun especially ending with a glass of wine.

  • dalleynedvm

    November 21, 2018 at 5:13 pm Reply

    I have to do this one day to experience my life as a my favorite TV character. I would who I would pick. I think it would be great if I could do this with a group of friends to add to the fun!

  • Becca Wilson

    November 22, 2018 at 2:08 am Reply

    Gilmore Girls is one of my all time favorite shows. This day sounds like it would be absolutely perfect in every way!

  • Jessica Lyles, LMSW

    November 24, 2018 at 12:10 pm Reply

    I have never thought of doing this! I have binge watched Gilmore Girls repetitively (let’s be honest who hasnt) but never thought of going deeper. This was a great read with awesome pictures thank you for sharing!

  • Nicole

    November 25, 2018 at 7:24 pm Reply

    I never really watched Gilmore Girls, but I have always heard great things about it. Perhaps I will binge watch it over the holidays. Everything you pictured here looks amazing! I’ll definitely be checking it out, thanks for sharing!

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