I Woke Up In Stars Hollow For A Week With My Hatch Alarm Clock

Something about the start of fall makes me yearn for all things corny. While I might pretend I’m not basic most of the year, all bets are off once I feel a chill in the air. That’s when you’ll find me geeking out at apple orchards, over-planning my Halloween costume, and hunting down anything pumpkin spice — but that only scratches the surface.

This season, I decided to take it up a notch and try waking up to the “La la la” song from Gilmore Girls. According to all the wannabe residents of Stars Hollow on TikTok, it’s possible to play this tune on your Hatch Restore 2 alarm clock, which is already well-known for its soothing, sunrise wake-up technique.

Gilmore Girls is, of course, a must-rewatch come September. The show takes place in a quaint town — where it always seems to be fall — and follows main characters Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, who are a beloved mother-and-daughter duo known for their closeness, quippy lines, and intense love for coffee. Anytime they have a meaningful moment throughout the series, you’ll hear the famous “La la la” song by composer Sam Phillips, which has a few different variations. The familiar tune, called “the la-las” by fans, is a big part of what makes the show so comforting.

To celebrate the season of Gilmore Girls marathons, I knew I had to pretend I was just like Lorelai and Rory starting each day in Stars Hollow. Here’s what it was like to test the Hatch Restore 2 and this cute alarm sound.

Fast Facts

• Price: $169.99 for alarm clock/$4.99 a month for Hatch+
• Best for: Waking up naturally, meditating, winding down at night, keeping a routine
• My rating: 4/5
• What I like: Cute design, improves sleep, fun selection of wake-up sounds
• What I don't like: Not budget-friendly, mildly glitchy app

What To Know About The Hatch Restore 2

While it is pricy, the Hatch Restore 2 doesn’t just wake you up — it also helps you develop a wellness-boosting sleep routine. With the clock and its accompanying app, you can craft a plan that includes an evening wind down, morning meditations, and soothing sleep noises. Think white noise, rain, etc.

Hatch’s true claim to fame, however, is how it stirs you from your slumber. Instead of blaring an alarm to drag you out of a deep sleep, the device slowly starts to glow for a set time of your choice before it plays your wake-up sound. As it gets brighter, it helps you come out of sleep like you would with a natural sunrise.

To set up the Hatch, you’ll download the Hatch app, sign in, and choose a plan. I went for the one-week free trial followed by the $4.99 a month subscription for Hatch+, which unlocks more sleep experiences and customizations, including sounds, different glow colors for your clock, and other personalized tools.

To play the Gilmore Girls song on your Restore 2, go into the app and tap on either Alarms or Cue to Unwind, look for “Gilmore Girls” under the Sound options, tap it, and then scroll down to choose a time for it to play and which days you’d like it to repeat. Also remember to hit save. This feature is available to all Hatch Restore 2 users.

My Gilmore Girls Experience

Given the choice between waking up to a blaring alarm in reality or the “La la las” of Stars Hollow, I’m going to choose the latter every time. I, for one, wish it was a real place I could move to — it’s a walkable town where everyone knows one another and your biggest problem is figuring out what to wear to the Autumn Festival. Ah, bliss.

To bring the fantasy to life, I customized my Hatch to glow “pumpkin spice” orange (very Gilmore Girls) and made sure my morning alarm was set to the la-las. I didn’t know how incredibly cute it would be, though, until it went off the next morning at 7:15.

Instead of a panic-inducing iPhone alarm, I was slowly awakened by a glowing clock and the pleasant sound of soothing, early 2000s vocals. Just like Lorelai, I laid there for a few extra minutes not wanting to start my day at the Inn... I mean my real job.

Eventually, though, I threw back my covers and got up. While I usually smack the snooze button, I let the la-las play a little longer while I made my bed and said hi to my dog, all the while dreaming of diners, fall festivals, and cute outfits, just like the Gilmores.

The Takeaway

After waking up to Hatch’s Gilmore Girls song for a week, I can honestly recommend it to everyone and anyone who wants to fully embrace the season in as many gloriously cheesy and unabashedly nostalgic ways as possible.

It was a soothing way to start the morning, but the la-las also put me in a carefree, cheerful mood that had me practically skipping out the door ready to embrace another brisk autumnal day. I wasn’t actually in Stars Hollow, but once I got a coffee, it kind of felt like it.