A day for (art) lovers

Well, tomorrow's Valentine's Day, and depending on how you feel about that fact, you're either trying to figure out what to do with your sweetheart to commemorate the occasion, or hoping that something will come along to distract you from its existence.

Luckily, I have just the thing--in either case! For the couple looking for an alternative to inflated Valentine's Day menu prices at upscale restaurants, and for the single (or couple) looking to escape the hearts, flowers and cupids, an evening of art appreciation could be the perfect answer.

As it turns out, Thursday happens to be free admission day at many local museums. Downtown, the Museum of Contemporary Art and its satellite location, The Geffen Contemporary, are free every Thursday from 5 to 8 pm, as is the Japanese American National Museum.

On the west side, both the Skirball Cultural Center and the Hammer Museum at UCLA are free and open until 9 pm every Thursday. The Fowler Museum, also at UCLA, and the Getty Museum's two locations (in Brentwood and Malibu) are always free.

Best of all, the Downtown Art Walk is the second Thursday of the month, which happens to be February 14th. Print out the map of participating museums and galleries, hop on the free DASH shuttle, and take this free self-guided tour of the downtown art scene between 12 and 9 pm. "DASH shuttles will be hosted by local historians Matt Goulet, Richard Schave and Mike the Poet, providing fascinating information on the history of downtown Los Angeles."

Best of all, the only cupids you're likely to see will not be the Hallmark variety.