Patch Picks, Coastside Edition: Non-Traditional Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is coming up, and you're wondering what to do that's out of the ordinary without making the whole day seem like a cliché. After all, it is on a Monday this year...but at least one of you (hopefully both) still wants to celebrate.

So what to do? Here are some local ideas for celebrating Coastside:

Check out the 's Valentine's Day special. Would one of you prefer champagne to beer? Like the Brewing Company says, the day "doesn't have to be a compromise." A multi-course dinner comes with a flute of LaNebbia champagne and a Mavericks microbrew.

Sick of Valentine's Day always being a one-on-one affair? A Grape in the Fog is hosting a soiree, which promises to be a little more social than a date. Live music will kick off the evening at 6pm and there's a $7 tapas menu plus wines from all over the world. Reservations are requested. 

Go see the gray whale migration out in the Pacific Ocean. Until May, the Oceanic Society is holding weekend outings that leave from Half Moon Bay at 10 am, and return at 1 pm.

Spend a day at the Sharp Park Pier and Promenade flying a kite, or trying to catch some fish. Later, have a picnic or take a hike on the surrounding trails.

Cook a special seasonal meal together featuring a Coastside favorite - crab. Check out Amy Fothergill's  and Gabriela Segovia-McGahan's column for how to put together some nice yet simple-to-prepare meals -- from crab saffron risotto to garlicky crab pasta, Adobo and a killer pesto.

Instead of buying cut flowers with a shelf life, why not give a beautiful potted plant as your gift? The and are good choices to select your offering. Also, Pacifica's has a great selection of beauties you won't have to throw away in a week. 

Or just spend a lazy day together browsing through Florey's Books, then meeting up  later in the evening at Sea Bowl with some friends for a group date.

After all, it is just another day...isn't it?