With all the hype and hoopla surrounding Valentine’s Day, happy singles might feel they’re being chased out of town by chubby, arrow-wielding angels. But stand your ground! There’s more to February 14 than canoodling couples and tables for two. Here in the Bay Area, these fun-for-one activities celebrate your first love — you!
Spend a day in Paris at San Francisco’s Legion of Honor Museum, where an array of exquisite pieces is on display, direct from the Musée du Louvre. The collection of decorative arts spans the French monarchy from Louis XIV to the French Revolution in 1789, and is on display for the first time in the U.S.A. Exhibit runs until March 17.
Learning to make good pasta at one of San Francisco’s favorite restaurants, Flour + Water, is an occasion to celebrate any time of year. Get doughy with a hands-on pasta class that will teach you the techniques of making the beloved Italian staple, followed by a sit-down dinner and wine pairings.
If the single mingle hustle is on your mind, then Yoshi’s Jazz Club is playing your song. The Society of Professional Singles is hosting a Valentine’s Day meet-and-greet in the upstairs Sake Lounge from 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
For lovers of classic film and local history, there’s no better setting than the historic Napa Valley Opera House. Come February 14, Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart tug at your heartstrings in Casablanca, playing at 7 p.m.
Celebrate a Valentine’s Day anniversary in San Francisco’s Mission district at The Red Poppy Art House when the popular Arte Y Tapas Performance Series turns one. Enjoy visual art, tapas, drinks and live music by French street performers that will surely make your heart go pitter-patter.
Table for two? Good riddance! Some of San Francisco’s best restaurants welcome single diners at the bar or counter — no reservations needed. At Zuni Café, one of San Francisco’s most popular stops, all tables in the bar and outside are open to walk-in guests. The inviting small space of Chez Maman in Hayes Valley has a warm counter facing a chalkboard list of wines and house specialties. Whether you want a simple bite and glass of wine or a scrumptious Italian feast, the casual bar at Barbacco is the kind of place solo diners frequent over and over again, too.
Photos Courtesy of Legion of Honor Museum and Yoshi’s
