-- Grilled Cheese Invitational : What's better than a grilled cheese sandwich? Nothing, that's what. (Our apologies go out to all and any lactose-intolerant readers. You live a life of heartache we can only imagine.) This competition, though, will feature ingredients ranging from Kraft Singles (yum!) to truffle butter, brie, rice, and more. Starts at 8:30 p.m. at Eli's Mile High Club, Oakland; $5.

-- Edward Gorey's Dracula: Guests are encouraged to wear Gorey-inspired costumes or to dress vampyric at tonight's reception, celebrating the his original set and costume designs, production photographs and memorabilia from the Tony Award-winning Broadway show. Goes from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Cartoon Art Museum; free.

-- Loop!Station: Hmm, we love us some Loop!Station, the two-person band (Robin Coomer and Sam Bass) that sounds like a most rockin', electronic symphony. Catch them tonight along with Petracovich and Sonya Cotton at 8 p.m. at the Red Devil Lounge; $8.

-- Race Is a Lie: River Jackson's new play, told in verse, is about "two San Francisco police officers--a young black woman in uniform and an older white man in plain clothes--investigate the murder and incineration of an unidentified six-year-old boy." A Chorus Line this is not. Open tonight (going until 11/30) at 8 p.m. at SF Playhouse Stage Two; $15-20.

Next up, a completely not soaked with alcohol East Bay Express: Hey, we just picked our issue up with the classifieds side up and you can go to LA on a Price Is Right bus tour for $125! ($16 off if you mention the ad.) Come on down! The tofu-based logic of this week's Dream Cartoon cannot be refuted. Calling the guy whose number is 510-RAIDERS. He's been getting drunk dials for over 10 years. Why so much arson in Oakland? Cover article: shady mortgage brokers selling houses without telling the owners in Berkeley. Exciting neighborhood spat (complete with stencil graffiti) ensues. Hey, Judy Blume's coming to Alameda this Monday! There's a new wine bar in Oakland. Fiddling in Berkeley, and hey! The Treasure Island Music Fest (we remember to buy tickets to that).

After the jump: the San Jose Metro and the Bay Guardian, the Weekly of the Week, and the tally for the year.

Edward Gorey's art is perhaps the greatest combination of cute and grotesque we've seen. And it's not just for goth kids; everyone can enjoy the new exhibit at the Cartoon Museum of Art (655 Mission St.) through January 20, 2008.

One of his many enterprises was set design, and Gorey did so for a theatrical version of Stoker's Dracula -- the 1977 Broadway production earned him the Tony Award for Best Costume Design; he was also a nominated for Best Scenic Design. The exhibit features "an amazing exhibition of the master cartoonist's original set and costume designs, rare production photographs and memorabilia . . . a unique behind-the-scenes look at the creative process, from Gorey's initial notes and sketches through his completed concept artwork."

Awesome. Spooky!

Viva (Vegetarians International Voice for Animals) filed the suit against the makers of the aggressively-colored sports shoes, claiming that they "oppose kangaroo products because...hunters mistakenly shoot endangered species" while going after the little hoppers. All of this just so your little twerp can score a goal and bring a Saturday morning victory to the Yellow Jackets! How bad you must feel.

Anyway, what with all of this controversy, we suddenly feel that we simply must have something with kangaroo skin hanging in our closet come fall season. Huh.

Cartoon kangaroo by Brian Lemay.

Last night was the book release party for Shannon O'Leary's Pet Noir, a comic anthology of true pet crime stories published by San Francisco's very own Manic D Press. If you weren't there you missed one hip affair.

Held at the wonderful Cartoon Art Museum it was packed the entire night and Pet Noir was selling like hot cakes. Many of the artists who contributed to the book were in attendance including, Lark Pien, Mari Naomi, Trevor Alixopolus, Melanie Lewis, Damien Jay, and John Isaacson to name a few.

There are some great exhibits up at the Cartoon Art Museum right now, including The Rejection Collection, which showcases rejected New Yorker comics. The exhibit will be up until March 18th, so you've got plenty of time to catch it.

If you don't already have a copy of Pet Noir we suggest you head on over to Manic D's website pronto and buy a copy, yet another great gift showcasing lots of San Francisco talent.

Picture of captivated fans by SFist Christina. And more pictures of the soiree after the jump!