In nature, competition can be fierce. "Red in tooth and claw," as the saying goes. This is true everywhere, not only on the plains of the Serrenghetti and the Nature Channel, but also in the woods and gardens. Recent studies have shown that flowers "compete" to attract their allies, the honeybees-the more fragrant and beautiful are more likely to propagate their species.

A similar competition, perhaps a friendlier version, also rules the Arts and Entertainment world in Monterey County. It happens that this is the habitat of great galleries and nightclubs; musicians and sommeliers; cafes and bars. Which are the best? The ones our readers choose.

readers'' picks

Best Place You Can''t Take Your Parents

CLUB OCTANE

321 Alvarado St., Monterey, 646-9244.

The crowd is always dressed in its finest man-catching or woman- attracting garb, doused in scent, and inebriated. No other bar or club in Monterey exemplifies the meat market mentality like Club Octane, and that''s why we like it. The crowd Octane attracts with its pumping techno, hip-hop or ''80s beats is young, virile and ready for action. If you like girls in tube tops and guys in jeans low-cut enough to show off their well-toned Adonis lines, this is the place to go. It ain''t too classy, but deep down, neither are we.

Best Club For Rock

VIVA MONTEREY

414 Alvarado St., Monterey, 646-1415.

Viva has changed in the past coupla years, and it''s entirely for the better. Gone is the sticky-floored bar we all knew and loved, and in its place there''s now a classy wine-swilling vibe. The decor may have taken a more mature turn, but the music is still entirely Viva-rock from all over Calif-ornia (and sometimes elsewhere, too), college bands, local favorites, and weekly jam sessions and drum circles. The spirit of rock is very much alive in Monterey, and it is at Viva. It''s not a coincidence the establishment''s name means "Live."

Best Hangout After The Movie

PLUMES COFFEE HOUSE

400 Alvarado St., Monterey, 373-4526.

Bob Massaro, who has had his office at the corner of Alvarado and Franklin for quite some time, calls that downtown Monterey spot "the crossroads of the Monterey Peninsula." Naturally, if you want to hang out after a movie in the heart of town, the place to do it is Plumes. For ten years, Jill Rowlette has been setting ''em up for folks from near and far who are looking for one of the best cups of coffee anywhere-she uses the Melitta system of making each cup individually-to go along with delicious desserts and a bright, lively atmosphere. An eclectic mix of MIIS students, local hipsters, and tourists populate the place each evening, creating a cross-cultural, coffee-loving cornucopia. Right down the street, folks hang out at second-place winner the Mucky Duck for beverages of a different persuasion. A great back patio and regular fun events like karaoke pack them in nightly.

Best Wines by the Glass

WICKETS BISTRO AT BERNARDUS LODGE

415 Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel Valley, 659-3131.

In the ''70s, Chablis, Rose, and Burgundy were standard on wines-by-the-glass lists. In the ''80s, the list read Chardonnay, Cabernet and Merlot. In the ''90s, it became respectable to offer six or seven varietals. Wickets Bistro is on the frontier of the new millennium when it comes to wines by the glass, with at least 25 rotating selections. This would be unre- markable if the quality weren''t also above average. Pair a different wine with each course, drink what you want without compromising for the sake of your companions, or drink a glass or two of the $14 Bernardus Marinus rather than a whole lot of some lesser wine. Wickets is both a bar and a restaurant, so if your primary motive is to try some wines, consuming a meal isn''t necessary-though the food is as good as the drink. Second-place winner Tarpy''s Roadhouse offers a 1917 stone building with gardens as a lovely spot to wine-tipple.

Best Bar For Darts

THE BULLDOG BRITISH PUB

611 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey, 372-5565.

There are lots of reasons to go to the Bulldog, lots of excuses, and plenty of justifications. C-SPAN hit a dry spot and you''re feeling a tad social is a reliable one. Laundry is another good one, as two doors down there''s a laundromat with kickass dryers. While your stuff is getting soaked in suds, you can, too. During football season on Monday nights, the kitchen breaks out trays of free grub for the sports fans. The bartenders are cool, there''re always sports on, and they''ve got Heineken on tap and excellent french fries to boot. That''s all well and good but one of the best things is the Bulldog has a dartboard. If you are alone you can shoot forever, even switch to lefty for kicks. If there''s a game on, you should be able to work in a game of cricket pretty quickly. One word of warning, though, some of the regular players are so deceptively good they can beat you before you realize it. Taking second place for darts is the Mucky Duck, perennial Best Of winner in various categories.

Best Local Band

RED BEANS AND RICE

They''ve been around for a long time. This is, in fact, the seventh year in a row that Red Beans has taken home the Best Local Band prize. They are festival regulars all over the state, beloved here in their hometown, and continue to bring true blues to the Monterey Peninsula and beyond. So, obviously, their success isn''t a fluke. We like them, we really like them. Now how about giving one of the other bands a chance, huh guys?

Best Local Event

FIRST NIGHT MONTEREY

Best Local Artist

WILL BULLAS

Best Local Actor/Actress

CLINT EASTWOOD

Best Photo Gallery

ANSEL ADAMS GALLERY

685 Cannery Row, Monterey, 375-7215.

Best Art Gallery

TRAJAN GALLERY

Ocean Ave., Carmel, 625-4388.

Best Club DJ

Joey Da Juice

Best Place For Karaoke

Characters Sports Bar & Grill

350 Calle Principal, Monterey, 647-4023.

Best Bar For Folks Over 50

MISSION RANCH

Dolores and 15th, Carmel, 624-6436.

Best Place You Can''t Take Your Parents

CLUB OCTANE

321 Alvarado St., Monterey, 646-9244.

Best Club For Rock

VIVA MONTEREY

414 Alvarado St., Monterey, 646-1415.

Best Club For Blues

SLY MCFLY''S JAZZ AND BLUES DINNERHOUSE

700 Cannery Row, Monterey, 649-8050.

Best Club For Jazz

CIBO RISTORANTE ITALIANO

301 Alvarado St., Monterey, 649-8151.

Best Dance Club

CLUB OCTANE

321 Alvarado St., Monterey, 646-9244.

Best Local Musician

DENNIS MURPHY

Best Local Band

RED BEANS AND RICE

Best Happy Hour

EL TORITO MEXICANRESTAURANT AND CANTINA

Cannery Row, Monterey, 373-0611.

Best Pub

THE CROWN AND ANCHOR

150 W. Franklin St., Monterey, 649-6496.

Best Martini

LALLAPALOOZA RESTAURANT

474 Alvarado St., Monterey, 645-9036.

Best Margarita

EL TORITO MEXICAN RESTAURANT AND CANTINA

600 Cannery Row, Monterey, 373-0611.

Best Neighborhood Bar

DUFFY''S TAVERN AND FAMILY RESTAURANT

282 High St., Monterey, 644-9811.

Best Selection Of Wines By The Glass

WICKETS

415 Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel Valley, 658-3131.

Best Drink With a View

HIGHLANDS INN

120 Highlands Dr., Carmel, 620-1234.

Best Selection of Beers on Tap

THE CROWN AND ANCHOR PUB

150 W. Franklin St., Monterey, 649-6496.

Best Place to Shoot Pool

BLUE FIN CAFe

685 Cannery Row, Monterey, 375-7000.

Best Bar For Darts

THE BULLDOG BRITISH PUB

611 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey, 372-5565.

Best Sports Bar

CHARACTERS SPORTS BAR& GRILL

350 Calle Principal, Monterey, 647-4023.

Best Singles Bar

THE MUCKY DUCK

479 Alvarado St., Monterey, 655-3031.

Best Coffeehouse

STARBUCKS

Various Locations

Best Movie Theater

CENTURY GALAXY 6 CINEMA

280 Del Monte Center, Munras Ave., Monterey, 648-0123.

Best Hangout After the Movie

PLUMES COFFEE HOUSE

400 Alvarado St., Monterey, 373-4526.