If you’re not feeling romantic on February 14, there’s a bunch of stuff to do that is either fun or interesting, and trust me, doesn’t require that little blue pill.
    

Stand-up comic Paula Poundstone, late of HBO’s To Tell the Truth and an old scandal, will be appearing on stage with a stool, a microphone and a can of Diet Pepsi at Cobb’s Comedy Club (915 Columbus Ave.) on February 14. There are two shows: 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.; both are $30.50.
    

The Plush Room may be gone, but something new and exciting has been added to the scene: The Rrazz Room at the Hotel Nikko (222 Mason St.). Paula West is opening the venue on February 12 ($35), and there is a special Valentine’s show at 8 p.m. ($55). Upcoming artists over the next few months include my faves Oleta Adams, Diane Schurr, Lainie Kazan, and holy clanging bracelets, Lynda Carter.  
    

For all the news of the nabe, the Northern Police Station is having a decidedly unromantic community meeting on V-Day at 6 p.m.
    

The Northern Police District encompasses several diverse neighborhoods, including the Western Addition, Pacific Heights, Japantown, Polk Gulch, Russian Hill, and the Marina. The station is located at 1125 Fillmore.
  

A refreshing take on Valentine’s is the UnValentine’s Day held at Ugly’s, a self-described dive bar in Mountain View (1313 El Camino Real).     

Closer to home, Joe Buck of Gino and Carlo Cocktail Lounge (548 Green St.) says they’ll probably have heart shaped balloons and strawberry-flavored condoms to celebrate.   
  

In a more serious vein (and doggy style), at City Lights, at 7 p.m. on February 14, the author of When Species Meet, Donna J. Haraway, will talk about her book.
    

As never before in history, our pets are truly members of the family. Whom do we touch when we touch a dog? How does this touch shape our multispecies world? In When Species Meet, Haraway digs into this larger phenomenon to contemplate human interactions with many kinds of critters, especially with those called domestic.
    

In other companion news, we have a sad report from Marsha Garland, director of the North Beach Chamber of Commerce. In early January, as she alighted from her apartment on Lombard St., a neighbor’s two unleashed Malamute dogs attacked her beloved 10-year-old Manchester terrier, Monty.
    

In one swift moment, one of the big dogs bit him on the back, severing his spine. Garland says that in the past she had asked her neighbor to muzzle these out-of-control pets.
    

“He was paralyzed even before I got him to the Marina Vet Hospital,” Garland relates. Monty was euthanized.
    

The elegant Monty was Garland’s constant companion and traveled with her all over the west.
    

Over 200 individuals sent Garland cards and notes. Even people who are not always on the same page with Garland politically, like restaurateur Lorenzo Petroni, signed a card brought around by a couple of homeless fellows.  

San Francisco-born chef-owner Gary Rulli (Emporio Rulli Gran Caffé on Chestnut, plus a bunch more) took off for Italy last month for two major foodie events. He went to the pastry show in Rimini, east of Rome, where he gets to rub elbows with lots of Italy’s top pastry chefs and meet suppliers. And then he was off to Milan, for the big restaurant show.
    

So was his wife, Jeannie, accompanying him?
    

“Oh, no, this is work, not vacation,” he said with a laugh.
    

His chef-consultant, Angelo Auriana, who cooked for 20 years at Valentino’s in Santa Monica, was his traveling companion. On Tuesday nights, Auriana creates a special menu and cooks at the Gran Caffé on Chestnut. Bravo!

GraceAnn Walden is the former “Inside Scoop” columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. She is a writer and leads tours of North Beach. E-mail GraceAnn at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it