Sex therapist pushes romance 'stimulus plan' for Washington

“The word stimulus is a dream. It has something arousing,” Westheimer, who is better known under as Dr Ruth, said at a press conference to announce the partnership.
Ruth will serve as honourary US Secretary of Love and Relations during the month of February — the month of Valentine’s Day — with the brief to “jump-start the District’s love economy”.

Around 16 million tourists, including 1.5 million from abroad, visit Washington every year — but few head to the US capital for a romantic get-away. In fact, Washington ranked second to last out of 30 US cities that visitors think of as romantic destinations, according to an annual poll to find America’s favourite cities.

Throughout February, Washington will put a new, lovey-dovey spin on its monuments, museums and restaurants. Couples are being offered 20 per cent off the entrance fee at Madame Tussaud’s museum, and a two-for-the-price-of-one offer during the week of Valentine’s Day at the news-orientated Newseum.

In 1980, Ruth started a 15-minute radio programme in New York called “Sexually Speaking”. A year later, the show had grown to an hour-long live show. Ruth has now appeared on television, has her own website, and even an iPhone app that says sex-related words in the doctor’s distinctive European accent.

Her message to Washington locals and visitors was to get out and do something in the city. “Do something for Valentine’s Day, go to the museum, take the risk to talk to someone. At least you know one thing: this person is not a couch potato,” she said.