Honor the Founding Fathers With Booze, Half-Smokes, and Chocolate

• Thursday, February 17: Why should Valentine’s Day only be one day, when the holiday can bring joy/ money all month long? Now February is chocolate month, and this Thursday is “Chocolate Lover's Day,” but at least it means free chocolate: Urbana, Firefly, and other Kimpton Hotels will be giving out complimentary chocolates and wine on Thursday from 5-7 PM. [GregsListDC ]

• Friday, February 18: Nothing brings the elite cubicle drones in D.C. more pleasure than imbibing their cocktails and craft beers outside. Well, the sun will be out for an hour or so on Friday, so get thee to a patio! Try Desperados Burgers on U Street NW -- they offer specials on burgers and beers during their happy hour, which is Monday through Friday from 4-7 PM. [Desperados Burgers and Bar ]

• Sunday, February 20: Hipster-training-wheels-watering-hole Pharmacy Bar would like its patrons to put down the soy cheese, kale and brussel sprouts for just one night PLEASE, and focus instead on cooking vats of chili. They’re hosting a chili cook-off on Sunday from 7-10 PM. The first 25 people who show up will be allowed to compete and your Wonkabout will be one of them. Bacon optional, bring your own spoon. [Pharmacy Bar ]

• Monday, February 21: Second-tier holiday Presidents' Day is the perfect day to buy a car or a couch or to do presidential things like brunch or scarfing down half-smokes like your current president once did. [Zagat] 

• Food to look forward to: Columbia Heights will soon have a 7,000 square-foot coffee house/diner/bar, but it will probably only have 10 beers on tap, so meh? And cupcakes, nature’s high-brow-yuppie-sugar-poison, are available throughout D.C., which is exactly why another store will soon be opening in Georgetown. [Prince of Petworth / Washington City Paper ]