Photographs: Eric Harvey Brown and Laura Yan

You might imagine a more somber attitude at last night’s Fourth Annual Carnivorous Nights Taxidermy Contest at the Bell House, considering that it is a competition for the most marvelous preserved dead creature, real or imagined, but the packed venue and enthusiastic crowd (ranging from hipsters and curious nerds to morbid taxidermists) made the mood anything but depressing. Entries included a bedazzled synthetic-diamond dog head, a delicate Victorian automaton bird that chirped and moved,  and deformed mermaid and lobster babies created from a taxidermist’s own skin. Some taxidermy practitioners might frown upon modern interpretations of this ancient art, but few can argue against the beauty of a dazzling chandelier that incorporates goat skulls. And the contestants were characters themselves, with anecdotes and back stories that turned each piece into something even more compelling. It’s enough to make any audience member want to start trying her hand at skinning, stuffing and mounting her first doe. Maybe.—Laura Yan

Photographs: Eric Harvey Brown

Chocolate salsa, chocolate cheesecake, chocolate-chip cookies and other delectable confections were consumed at the Brooklyn Chocolate Experiment, which took place last night at the Bell House. Take a gander at some of the creations (including what looks like a chocolate-infused burger), and try not to drool all over your keyboard.

Warren G contemplates regulating.

Music
Warren G
The Long Beach native teams up with Kidz in the Hall and U-N-I to celebrate his birthday at Bowery Ballroom.

Eat Out
An Evening with Michael Psilakis
A book party, cooking demo and feast all rolled into one—it’s a dream come true, so long as you like lamb.

Discussion
A Conversation with Wes Anderson and Jason Schwartzman
The director-actor combo that brought us Rushmore discusses the forthcoming Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Contest
The World’s Biggest Connect Four Championship: Round Two
The quest for board-game bragging rights continues with more Connect Four showdowns.

Dance
Tere O’Connor Dance
Choreographer Tere O’Connor returns to DWT with his new quintet Wrought Iron Fog.

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WTF
Guy Fawkes Night
Hit up Telephone Bar or the Bell House to fete that guy who tried to blow up parliament in 1605.

Drink Up
Dogfish Head Novemberfest
The top dogs of craft brewing bring some autumnal brews to Standings bar. Line your tum with free Ray’s pizza before quaffing $5 beers until 8pm ($6 thereafter).

Books
Rachel Sherman
Her artful novel Living Room offers an acidic and sometimes hilarious view of suburbia.

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Now that the detritus of Halloween has been cleared away, it’s time to gear up for the prime romantic opportunities of the holiday season. Gentlemen, begin your training today with a grand gesture in Times Square. At 4pm, anyone with a trench coat in his wardrobe and a song in his heart (preferably Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes”) can show up at the red TKTS Booth’s stairs (47th St and Broadway) to re-create John Cusack’s iconic “boom box scene” from 1989’s Say Anything. The first 75 impersonators to show up will receive a free copy of the 20th anniversary DVD of the film, but it’s safe to say that all attendees have a shot at YouTube fame with a stunt like this. Just watch out for the swooning tourists—I ain’t saying she’s a visa digger, but she ain’t messing with no unnaturalized residents!

For those who don’t have time to stand around looking lovelorn in Times Square in the middle of the afternoon (where are your priorities?), there’s something for you too. It’s similarly old-school, but in a more wholesome and infinitely less sexy sort of way. At 7pm, The Bell House kicks off the first round of “The World’s Biggest Connect Four Championship” ($3 to play, free to watch), which will continue for—you guessed it—four consecutive Tuesdays this month and culminate with the crowning of Brooklyn’s Connect Four king on November 24. Themed vodka drinks are on the house from 7 to 8pm, and well drinks and select pints will be four bucks the rest of the night. E-mail connectfour@thebellhouseny.com to register.

Image via imdb.com.

Drink up
El Grito de Dolores
A mythical battle cry for Mexican independence is the inspiration for this fiesta, featuring $2 Tecates and free chips and salsa.

Mind & Body
“Introduction to Holistic Approaches to Understanding and Reducing Stress”
This complimentary class covers simple, practical techniques to reduce stress throughout the day, and throughout your life.

Clubs
Myriad Wednesdays
Myriad Enterprises returns to eatery-lounge China 1 with an early-starting, late-ending soiree devoted to house in all its permutations.

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Music
Pet Shop Boys
The synth-pop icons recorded their first hit, the groundbreaking “West End Girls,” here in NYC 25 years ago. Catch the first performance of their two-night stint at Hammerstein Ballroom.

Eat Out
Ice Cream, from Sugar and Snow
Jeri Quinzio, author of Of Sugar and Snow: A History of Ice Cream Making, will chronicle the treat through the ages, and Ben Van Leeuwen (of the Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Truck) will dole out the samples.

Walking Tour
Flavors of New York Tour
This food-themed stroll focuses on the culinary delights of the East Village, including cheese blintzes, hot dogs, authentic New York pizza and fizzy egg cream.

Spas and Sports
$25 spa treatments
Feeling knotty? You don’t need a ton of cash to get a quality rub-down. Log on to 25tuesdays.com today to get a $25 deep tissue massage from Vada Spa.

Drink Up
The Dick Swizzle Variety Night
Break out your bell-bottoms for this 1970s-style trivia night, complete with three-buck booze, prizes and a singing host named Dick Swizzle. For the first hour, Buds and crab dumplings are on the house.

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Gay
Stripped, Uncensored: Art on the Beach Party
This party for the provocative new Bruno Gmuender art book, Stripped, Uncensored, includes an erotic art sale, sexy sand sculptures and summer cocktails.

Tournament
Amateur Ping-Pong Tournament
Face off against other table-tennis nerds in this semiregular competition. The winner receives a cash prize, but be warned: Overcompetitive whining is against the rules.

Music
Diane Birch
The daughter of a preacher man showcases her divine piano playing and soulful voice, drawing from her debut album, Bible Belt.

Screening
A-Alikes: The Ballot or the Bullet
Indie bookstore Bluestockings (172 Allen St between Rivington and Stanton Sts, 212-777-6028) presents a screening of Paul Biedrzycki’s film about revolutionary politics in the age of Obama (7pm, $5).

Event
“The Hudson-Fulton Celebration of 1909″
Great parties have their place in history too. Instead of marking the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s exploration of New York, enjoy a celebration of the big-ass festival New Yorkers threw for the 300th anniversary.

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CHERYL: SPIRIT QUEST from CHERYL on Vimeo.

If you’ve ever watched MGMT’s “Time to Pretend” video and thought, I wish I could ride a giant kitten, Cheryl presents: Spirit Quest, at The Bell House tonight, is probably your best chance. This dance party claims to explore “the feline-human connection, the limits of shoulders, the flammability of dollar-store hair extensions and the staining power of fake blood.”

Don’t worry, though, they sound like a friendly bunch. Britta Riley’s posted on the Facebook event page: “If anyone needs help with their costume. I’ve got a bunch of scary animal masks made for tiny mexican children. They are too small for an adult face, making one look downright frightening in the most Cheryl of ways.”

The event’s only $3, $1 if you R.S.V.P., which is a bargain for a night of dance-floor-friendly music from DJs Sintalentos (check out his March 1 blog entry to download two free 60-minute mixes) and Owlpuffs. Just don’t drink the Kool-Aid, ‘kay?

Let’s keep it about the outer boroughs tonight, people. Our favorite endearingly slackerish band, The Beets from Jackson Heights, Queens, plays tonight at The Bell House in Gowanus, Brooklyn. In keeping with the shambolic tone the Beets set, we’ve reposted their performance in the TONY office of “I Think I Might’ve Built a Horse,” pitching their show at Glasslands last April. Just imagine their lead singer saying “the Bell House” and “May 18 from 7:30pm at the bargain price of $5″ instead. (That’s charming, not obnoxiously lazy, right?)

To help put you in the appropriate state of disarray, the Bell House is serving free Brooklyn beer between 7:30 and 8:30pm. Get buzzed, and enjoy support acts My Teenage Stride and Tom Hamilton of American Babies.