On the Road with Page to Palette: Off Campus
Our Off Campus challenges were based on the TV show’s episodes.
Chapter One: Adventure Awaits
Every great story has a beginning. Ours started in a parking garage.
Not exactly the cinematic opening you'd expect, but somehow it was perfect. The three of us had finally made it to Washington, D.C. to embark on our Off Campus-inspired getaway.
Before we checked into our hotel, before we experienced Drunk Shakespeare, we were excited about all the moments that would happen in between.
Looking now at the photo we captured in that parking garage, I don't just see three smiling faces.
I see friends who are always willing to say yes to another adventure.
And I see the beginning of an experience that would remind me why I created Page to Palette in the first place.
Because sometimes the best chapters don't begin with a dramatic entrance.
Sometimes they begin in a parking garage found at a cheap price using SpotHero, with your favorite people, wondering what kind of story you're about to live.
Chapter Two: The Wrong Restaurant, The Right Memory
Every itinerary has room for a happy accident.
Ours happened right after we found our hotel and then headed out for lunch.
Convinced we were walking into the Hamilton restaurant, which was recommended by our concierge, we settled into Via Sophia, an Italian restaurant attached to the Hamilton Hotel. We didn’t immediately realize we were in the wrong place. And by the time we did realize it, we didn’t care.
What started as a three-course lunch turned into one of those moments that somehow becomes part of the legend of a trip.
Our Hidden Favorite Challenge was to "Eat a dessert you'll still be talking about tomorrow."
At Via Sophia, we accepted that challenge.
Each of us ended our meals with tiramisu, which arrived generously dusted with cocoa powder—very generously. On my very first bite, I managed to inhale enough cocoa to launch into a coughing fit.
Our waiter, who quickly earned the nickname "Winky Wanker," looked at me with perfect comedic timing and said,
"You're not supposed to choke on the cocoa."
Naturally, only one bite later, Dana did exactly the same thing.
It's funny how the memories that stay with you aren't always the ones you planned. We may not remember every detail of what we ordered for lunch, but we'll remember the dessert, the waiter, the fact that an accidental restaurant became one of our favorite stops, and the British accent we stuck to throughout our trip.
Oh, and we’ll also never forget Pinkston and how he came in quite handy on this very hot day in D.C.
That's becoming one of my favorite lessons from Page to Palette.
The itinerary gives you a direction.
The unexpected moments become the story.
✓ Challenge Complete
🍰 Hidden Favorite Challenge #4
Eat a dessert you'll still be talking about tomorrow.
As we were getting ready to leave Via Sophia, we asked our waiter if there was a spot in the city we absolutely couldn't miss.
Without hesitation, he smiled and said,
"Go to the rooftop at the Watergate Hotel. It's the best view of Washington, D.C."
That recommendation would become our Breakaway Challenge, which required us to ask someone who lives in D.C. the following question:
“If you had one hour in DC., where would you go?”
So we took his advice.
Sometimes the best chapters aren't the ones you write before you leave home.
They're the ones someone else adds to your story along the way.
Chapter Three: The Break In Before the Breakaway
We made our way to the Watergate Hotel, excited to see what the Winky Wanker had confidently called "the best view in Washington, D.C."
Before we even reached the rooftop, though, something unexpected stopped us.
Just inside the hotel entrance sat a gentleman surrounded by stacks of vintage books and old typewriters. Beside him was a simple invitation:
Choose a codeword. Whisper it to me.
Naturally, we couldn't resist.
Jessica stepped forward first, whispering her word: scandal.
Moments later, he handed her a freshly typed poem tucked away in an envelope marked TOP SECRET.
While she waited, Dana and I wandered toward what can only be described as a wall of whiskey bottles stretching from floor to ceiling. Following it led us into a cozy 1970s-inspired sitting room, where we couldn't help but peek around the corner and watch Jessica quietly reading her poem.
My turn came next.
My codeword was secret.
Then, while Jessica and I took selfies among the amber glow of the whiskey wall, Dana patiently waited for her own poem, inspired by the word luxury.
We assumed this was simply a charming hotel activity.
Then one of the hotel's employees walked over and asked if we knew what day it was.
June 17.
The 54th anniversary of the Watergate break-in.
Suddenly everything made sense.
The codewords.
The typewriters.
The "Top Secret" poems.
The whispers.
The hotel hadn't just created an activity.
It had created an experience that invited visitors to step into one of the most famous stories in American history.
We hadn’t planned this moment, but we embraced it.
One recommendation from a waiter to go to the rooftop of the Watergate Hotel led us straight into a moment we couldn't have scheduled if we'd tried. Fortuitous is the word that came to my mind; it just fit the moment best.
And we still hadn’t seen the best view of D.C., the reason we were at the hotel in the first place.
Chapter Four: Above the Story
Every city has a view that leaves you speechless.
This was ours.
After wandering through the Watergate Hotel and unexpectedly stepping into history, we finally made our way to the rooftop.
Our waiter at Via Sophia had promised us the best view in Washington, D.C.
His recommendation certainly delivered.
From the rooftop, the Potomac River shimmered in the afternoon sun, bridges stretched across the water, and the city seemed to unfold in every direction. It was one of those views that makes you instinctively reach for your phone to take a picture before remembering to simply look.
It’s the kind of view that reminds you to slow down, breathe deeply, and appreciate exactly where you are.
We lingered longer than we'd planned, taking photos, laughing at the wind whipping through our hair, and trying to capture a skyline that somehow looked even better in person than it ever could on a screen.
✓ Challenge Complete
🌅Breakaway Challenge #6
Visit a place recommended by someone who lives in D.C.
While the rooftop bar was celebrating the anniversary of the Watergate break-in with a menu inspired by one of the most famous political stories in American history, the girls ordered espresso martinis.
This felt perfectly on brand for our adventure. Stylish, a little playful, and exactly the kind of drink you'd sip while pretending you're the main character in your own story. Not to mention we had this hat. 😉
✓ Challenge Complete
🍸Carter St. James Challenge #8
Visit a beautiful hotel bar and have a drink.
Looking around the rooftop, I realized something.
When we first planned this trip, I imagined the big moments would be the destination itself.
Instead, the moments I loved most were the ones created by people.
A waiter who shared his favorite place in the city.
A typewriter poet who turned whispered words into keepsakes.
The dearest friends who are always throwing their support behind me as we navigate this life.
Maybe that's what Page to Palette is really about.
Books may inspire the itinerary, but people are the ones who bring the story to life.
It felt like the perfect finishing touch to an afternoon that had unexpectedly become about stories in every form—history, poetry, friendship, and now a toast overlooking the city where it all happened.
Later that afternoon, we squeezed into a very warm Uber ride back to our hotel, and finally read our poems aloud.
What stayed with me even more than the experience itself was the sound.
The steady clickety-clack of the typewriter keys instantly transported me back to childhood.
When I was younger, I loved sitting at a typewriter and copying pages from my favorite books, word for word. I wasn't trying to become a writer—I simply loved the rhythm of the keys and the feeling of bringing a story to life one letter at a time.
Standing in the Watergate Hotel, listening to those same familiar sounds, I realized something.
Long before Page to Palette ever existed, I was already finding joy in experiencing stories with more than just my eyes.
Maybe that's why this place felt so magical.
It wasn't just history.
It wasn't just poetry.
It was another reminder that stories are meant to be lived.
Chapter Five: Main Character Energy
After we’d finally checked into the hotel and were preparing for Drunk Shakespeare, I pulled out some matching tees and lotions that match the color palette of The Deal and The Score.
One of the challenges on our card asked us to do something that represented our friendship.
For years, the three of us have talked about getting matching tattoos. Before this trip, I even looked into finding a henna artist in Washington, D.C., thinking it would be the perfect not-quite-permanent version of the tradition we'd always imagined.
As it turned out, our itinerary had other plans.
The day before we left, I wandered into Old Navy and spotted these tee shirts that simply read:
Main Character Energy.
I laughed.
The girls agreed that we each needed one.
Last month, my daughter and her friends bought matching bracelets during one of their senior skip days. It reminded me that every season of life seems to have its own way of saying, "We were here together."
For us, it wasn't bracelets.
It wasn't tattoos.
It wasn't even henna.
It was matching shirts that somehow captured how we wanted to feel.
Because that's what this trip was all about.
For a day and a half, we stepped into a story together.
We said yes to spontaneous detours, rooftop views, bookstores, desserts worth talking about, and experiences we never could have planned.
Every time we wear them, we’ll remember exactly what they represent.
Not just our friendship.
But the time we decided to be the main characters in our own adventure.
✓ Challenge Complete
👕Friendsgiving Challenge #4
Find something that represents our friendship.
Chapter Six: Drunk Shakespeare
Everything else had been leading to this moment.
The lunch.
The rooftop views.
The unexpected detours.
The challenges.
The conversations.
Every stop along the way had been inspired by one destination: Drunk Shakespeare.
Walking into the theater, one thing became immediately clear—it was intimate. Really intimate. "Cozy" is probably the nicer word for it. We were so close to the stage that the actors occasionally spilled into our space. At one point, I'm fairly certain one of them tripped over Dana's knees while making a dramatic exit.
It only added to the experience.
If you're expecting a traditional, line-for-line Shakespeare production, this probably isn't the show for you.
But if you're willing to embrace a lot of chaos, you're in for something special.
The performance struck a balance I didn't know was possible. It honored Shakespeare's language while refusing to take itself too seriously. One moment we were listening to beautifully delivered lines from Romeo and Juliet; the next, an unexpected pop culture reference had the entire audience laughing. Definitely-NOT-swords became props for comedy as much as drama, and the cast somehow managed to blend classic theater with improvisation in a way that felt completely natural.
It wasn't Shakespeare performed from a distance.
It was Shakespeare inviting the audience into the fun.
That was exactly what made it memorable.
Looking around the room, I realized the show had something in common with Page to Palette.
Both begin with a beloved story.
Neither asks you to simply observe it.
Instead, they invite you to become part of the experience.
When the final bows were taken, we remembered another challenge waiting to be completed.
Our Curtain Call Challenge was simple:
Ask a stranger to take your photo after the show.
As luck would have it, the perfect "stranger" found us first.
A member of the audience who had enthusiastically joined in throughout the performance wandered over to chat with the actors. He noticed the three of us and offered to take our picture.
Only later did we discover that Braeden wasn't just another audience member.
He was actually part of the Drunk Shakespeare troupe and had come to enjoy the performance himself.
It felt like the perfect ending to the day.
One final unexpected connection.
✓ Challenge Complete
🎭Curtain Call Challenge
Ask a stranger to take a photo at Drunk Shakespeare.
And, because we’d been waiting for the perfect opportunity to complete the Recreate It Challenge, which required us to Find someone who will do the Garrett dance social media won’t stop subjecting us to.
Our Romeo shyly agreed to attempt.
✓ Challenge Complete
🎭Recreate It Challenge
Find someone who do the Garrett Graham dance.
Chapter Seven: More Scandal than Malone’s
As we stepped back out into the warm D.C. evening, we realized we weren't quite ready for the night to end.
We still had so much to talk about.
The show had given us plenty to laugh about, favorite moments to relive, and enough surprises that we found ourselves replaying scenes as we wandered through the city in search of dinner.
There was one stop we knew we couldn't leave Washington without making.
The actual Hamilton restaurant.
After accidentally eating lunch at the wrong restaurant earlier that day, we laughed that we had to make things right before heading home.
While it didn't end up fitting the spirit of our Malone's Challenge quite as well as we'd imagined, it was absolutely worth the visit.
The Hamilton felt timeless. Rich woodwork, warm lighting, and elegant details gave it a classic Washington feel. As we settled into our booth, I couldn't shake the feeling that Olivia Pope might walk through the doors at any moment, followed by the rest of her team from Scandal. In fact, I found myself wondering if the restaurant had ever been used as a filming location. It certainly looked like it belonged on screen.
Our burgers were some of the best we’d ever had, but what I remember most isn't the meal.
It's the conversation.
There's something special about sharing a table after an unforgettable experience—when everyone is still smiling, replaying favorite moments, and discovering that each person noticed something completely different.
By the time we left The Hamilton, it wasn't just another restaurant we'd crossed off our list.
It had become another chapter in an collective experience that was somehow turning out even better than we'd imagined.
Chapter Eight: One Last Chapter
The next morning, we woke up knowing our time in Washington was coming to an end.
Before pointing the car toward home, though, we had one more stop to make.
Like any good Page to Palette adventure, we weren't quite finished collecting stories.
Our final destination was Kramers, the beloved independent bookstore and café in the heart of Dupont Circle. We had hoped to check off one last challenge before leaving the city.
Instead, we completed two.
The moment we walked through the doors, we were greeted by one of the friendliest people we met on our trip. He immediately noticed our matching Main Character Energy T-shirts, and it felt as though we'd walked into exactly the right place. We chatted about the shirts, books, and our trip, and for a few minutes it felt less like a bookstore and more like meeting a fellow book lover who had somehow been expecting us.
Moments like that have become one of my favorite parts.
You arrive somewhere as strangers, leave feeling like you've made a connection, and carry that interaction with you long after you've forgotten the street you were standing on.
Then came breakfast.
I ordered the Cinnamon French Toast, and I'm fairly certain it ruined ordinary French toast for me forever.
Imagine thick slices of cinnamon-caramel brioche topped with warm cookie butter and fresh strawberries. Every bite somehow tasted even better than the last, and if I lived anywhere near Kramers, I'd probably find myself ordering it every single week.
✓ Challenge Complete
🍰The Deal Challenge #1
Find something in D.C. that you would absolutely make a deal to have.
After breakfast, we wandered through the bookstore, lingering in front of the romance shelves to see if we could find copies of The Deal and The Score—the books that had inspired this entire adventure.
We found them, of course, nestled among countless other stories waiting to be discovered.
✓ Challenge Complete
🍰The Off Campus Challenge #7
Find a bookstore that has copies of the Off Campus series.
As much as I enjoyed spotting the Off Campus series, my favorite moment came when I pulled another book from the shelf.
A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston.
If you've spent any time on BookTok, you've probably seen it pop up from time to time, but I still don't think it gets nearly as much love as it deserves. It's one of my favorite books I've ever read—not just because it's a romance, but because it's a story about what happens when the boundaries between books and real life begin to blur.
Honestly, that felt incredibly fitting for this trip.
Without thinking twice, I handed the book to Dana.
One of my favorite parts of being a reader isn't just discovering stories for myself.
It's putting a book into someone else's hands and saying, "I think you're going to love this one."
As we made our way toward the register, I realized our experience had come full circle.
We had left home because of two books.
We were leaving Washington with another one.
And somehow, that felt like the perfect souvenir.
The icing on the cake was that the cover of A Novel Love Story matched the colors of Dana’s nails quite perfectly. While this had no impact on my book recommendation for her, it was definitely fortuitous.
Chapter Nine: Things We Knew We’d Find
By the time we climbed back into the car, we'd completed most of our challenges, filled our phone’s camera rolls, and collected more stories than we could possibly tell in one sitting.
But, as always, there were a few moments that didn't quite fit anywhere else.
And somehow, those are often the ones I smile about the most.
On our way through the Watergate Hotel, we passed a banner welcoming “fight fans” who had come to Washington for the previous weekend’s UFC fight. Naturally, Dana and Jessica couldn't resist staging their own championship match.
It had absolutely nothing to do with Off Campus.
Nothing to do with our challenge card.
And everything to do with who they are.
One of my favorite parts of traveling with these two is that they'll commit to the joke every single time.
Those are the moments you can't put on an itinerary.
As we drove out of the city, we also passed the John F. Kennedy Center. Recent events have made the building the subject of countless headlines, and seeing it in person felt strangely significant. The familiar façade was partially hidden behind scaffolding, even covering the name.
It struck me as an unexpected image to leave Washington with.
Not because of politics.
But because it felt like a reminder that every place has layers to its story. History, change, celebration, controversy, joy—they all exist together, shaping the places we visit long after we've gone home.
And maybe that's what I'll remember most about this trip.
We came to Washington because of a book series and a TV show that none of us really saw coming.
We left with stories that had very little to do with the pages that inspired us.
Some were planned.
Most weren't.
That's the beauty of Page to Palette.
Books give us a reason to begin.
The people we meet, the places we discover, and the moments we never could have anticipated become the stories we carry home.
And if this experience taught me anything, it's that the very best adventures don't end when you close the book.
They begin when you decide to step inside it.
Epilogue: The Elephant in the Room
If you’ve read this far, you may have asked yourself why women in their 40s (and one who’s recently entered her 50s) are obsessed with this book series and TV show. It’s not just the three of us; it’s a cultural phenomenon that no one saw coming. I’ve been trying to pinpoint what it is, and I found this article. Read it if you’d like.
