For Immediate Release:
November 15, 2010
 DC Inspires, On and Off the Page and Screen

The life nation’s capitol is always making headlines but a remarkable amount of fiction is inspired by Washington, DC too. Whether the District is the setting for a tautly-crafted political thriller, a cockeyed romantic comedy or an earth-shaking robot battle, it’s always at the center of the action. Many of the locations featured on the page of popular novels and blockbuster movies are accessible to visitors. On Location Tours (http://www.screentours.com/tour.php/dc/) take the cinematically curious, for example, on a lighthearted trip to many spots featured in popular films such as “Forrest Gump,” “Independence Day,” “Night at the Museum 2” and “The Exorcist.”
But there are always new stories to tell. Get a head start on the crowds and make DC the setting of a true-life adventure inspired by one of these novels or feature films:  

On and Off the Page:

 “The Lost Symbol” by Dan Brown – new in paperback
Harvard University symbologist Robert Langdon returns to solve a puzzle set against a map of Freemasonry in downtown DC. When the hardcover was released in 2009, it sold one million copies on the first day: a record for adult fiction. A film version of the book is due in theaters by 2012 and Tom Hanks is expected to reprise his role as the dashing if surprised man of action.
To decode Dr. Langdon’s footsteps follow our map of “Lost Symbol” hot spots (http://washington.org/visiting/experience-dc/the-lost-symbol). These include:

· The free tour the Scottish Rite’s secrets-laden House of the Temple (http://www.scottishrite.org/) on 16th Street, NW
· The Library of Congress (http://www.loc.gov/index.html) and the nearby U.S. Capitol. Stand inside the rotunda and find the spot where Robert discovers a severed hand of his mentor, Peter Solomon, and the hunt begins!
· The crypt of Smithsonian Institution’s founder James Smithson in the storied Smithsonian Castle (http://www.si.edu/visit/infocenter/sicastle.htm)

“Hell’s Corner” by David Baldacci, on shelves Nov. 9, 2010
The country’s most skilled assassin is asked to avenge an attempt on the President’s life -- at a state dinner no less – and the action kicks into high gear. The latest installment is the fifth in Baldacci’s “Camel Club” series that paints a picture of a city populated by spies and shadows. Re-imagine one of John Carr’s covert missions by visiting:

· Lafayette Park where our hero stands guard near the White House (http://www.whitehouse.gov/) gates and gathers information
· The Spy Museum (http://www.spymuseum.org/) to review the history and secrets of spooks like Carr. Try and crack Operation SlyFox or CatBird, their GPS-enabled neighborhood tours.
· The National Museum of Crime and Punishment (http://www.crimemuseum.org/) where the history of law enforcement and the capture of “bad guys” is celebrated

“The Inner Circle” by Brad Meltzer, on shelves Jan.11, 2011
When Beecher White, a young government archivist discovers a secret document hidden in George Washington’s desk, the heart-pounding tale of suspense and deception at the highest forms of government takes shape. Meltzer is fond of Washington’s legal landscape and has featured it in many of his popular titles including “The Tenth Justice,” “The Book of Fate,” and “The First Counsel.” To view the city from White’s academic point of view, consider visiting:

· The National Archives (http://www.archives.gov/) to peep where our hero labors in the stacks and the public vaults
· Mount Vernon (http://www.mountvernon.org/) where many of George Washington’s personal possessions remain, some perhaps still hiding secrets
· The Supreme Court (http://www.supremecourt.gov/) during oral arguments for one of the 100 or so cases that are heard each year between October and April

On and Off the Screen:
“How Do You Know,” opening Dec. 17, 2010
James L Brooks (“Broadcast News” and “As Good As It Gets”) returns to his soft, romantic center with a comedy about a 20-something DC professional (Reese Witherspoon) who is stuck between two men: the star pitcher for the Washington Nationals baseball (Owen Wilson) and a corporate suit (Paul Rudd).
Hit a homerun and hang like a star at these spots:

· Adams Morgan, the funky neighborhood loaded with nightlife where scenes between Witherspoon and Rudd were shot
· The Capitol Riverfront (http://www.capitolriverfront.org/), the newly created walkways and bridges along the city’s southeast side. Catch a game at Nation’s Park come springtime
· Everyone on the National Mall stopped in the tracks when Reese Witherspoon was spied jogging (for the cameras)
· On their downtime, the stars relaxed in restaurants including the Italian-inflected Potenza (http://www.potenzadc.com/) (Reese Witherspoon), the Mexican inspired Oyamel (http://www.oyamel.com/)(Jack Nicholson and Paul Rudd) and the downhome lobster shack Tackle Box (http://www.tackleboxrestaurant.com/) (Owen Wilson)

“The Conspirator,” opening March 2011
Robert Redford got behind the camera to direct a period thriller set in the aftermath of Lincoln’s assassination at the Ford’s Theatre. A young laywer (James McAvoy) reluctantly agrees to defend Mary Surratt (Robin Wright Penn) who was arrested for abetting John Wilkes Booth. Is she a conspirator? Is she innocent? Wait until springtime (or read a history book), but don’t delay in visiting the spots featured on the screen including:

· Ford’s Theatre (http://www.fordstheatre.org/), the site of President’s Lincoln’s assassination on April 14, 1865, just five days after General Lee surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox, effectively ending the years-long war
· Mary Surratt’s former boarding house is now home to Wok and Roll, a fast-casual pan-Asian restaurant
· The National Theatre (http://www.nationaltheatre.org/) where John Wilkes Booth was once a popular player

“Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon,” opening July 2011
Only Michael Bay (and possibly Bumblebee and Optimus Prime) know the details about the third installation of the enormously popular series about extraterrestrial robots fighting over control of the universe and the American teenager who holds the key to peace. We do know where the crew film on location in October, 2010:

· Capitol Hill at Maryland and 3rd Streets, NE
·The American Red Cross headquarters disguised as the White House
· Lincoln Monument (http://www.nps.gov/linc/index.htm) and the Air Force Memorial (http://www.airforcememorial.org/), each illuminated for large-scale nighttime shoots
· Actor Shia Laboeuf was spotted reading a book and enjoying a coffee at Illy Café at the Renaissance Washington, DC Dupont Circle Hotel (http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/wasrw-renaissance-washington-dc-dupont-circle-hotel/)