NPC: A Place for News and .... Romance

Donald J. Frederick remembers clearly that day in January 1966 when Windsor P. Booth was inaugurated as the new president of the National Press Club.

It was snowy weather, not unlike the kind Washington has been experiencing recently. Frederick, a writer-editor at the National Geographic, had been looking forward to the inauguration of Booth, his boss, and the head of the National Geographic wire service. But he was also excited because his girlfriend was visiting from Montreal.

They had met while studying abroad at the University of Madrid, Spain, and stayed in touch after returning home in the fall of 1965. He visited her in Canada for Christmas, and she came to Washington for New Year. Now, just weeks later, she was back.

Despite the heavy snow that evening, Frederick said it was a perfect evening. Dancing to one of the romantic songs during Booth’s inauguration, he slipped a diamond engagement ring on his sweetheart's finger.

“The snow was a blessing in a way because the next day her flight was canceled, and she stayed an extra day in Washington,” he recalled recently. They got married that March.

The National Press Club is not just a place where journalists meet for drinks, Friday night tacos or to hear heads of state and other luminaries speak. It's also a favorite haunt for singles and, over the years, has been a favorite venue for dates, proposals and wedding receptions.

And, sometimes, a late night drink at the Club can provide just the perfect way to impress a first date -- especially one whose parents were both journalists.

John Heltman, a reporter at Inside Washington, had serendipitously received two tickets for a Washington Wizards-Chicago Bulls game that President Obama was scheduled to attend.

After the game, Heltman and Margaret Epps ended up at the NPC for a night cap.

“I gave her a tour of the place, and showed her the photos of all the past presidents,” he recalled. “It made quite an impression,” he said.

They had a couple of drinks and stayed at the Reliable Source until closing time. A year later, Heltman and Epps are contemplating celebrating their first anniversary together. Where? Why, at the National Press Club, of course.