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@Zippie
Climbing on the hoods allows a change of stress on muscles and also allows more power from the arms. It is less efficient than sitting down, but some of each allow an overall increase in performance especially if you stand to push over increased gradients that come at certain points on a climb (rather than changing down), or to attack in a race and accelerate, before sitting down again.
You need handlebars that are shoulder width (measured shoulder joint to joint), if they are to wide or too narrow you decrease leverage (out of the saddle) and/or decrease aerodynamics (sitting).
You cannot climb efficiently on the drops in any circumstance. Drops are only for sprinting (which may be uphill - but only when you want maximum power and are not concerned about the anaerobic deficit - which will only be true if you are at the end of a race or have a long downhill stretch to recover) ... or at high speeds on the flat or downhill when you want maximum aerodynamics (but this can be achieved almost as completely on the drops if you have the right position).
Hope this helps - but not really important for pootling/couriering around town - just do what is comfortable.