Girls Rock! Lottery Show Benefit @ Abbey Pub

Local musicians are randomly grouped into seven bands for a show to benefit Girls Rock! Chicago. Participants include members of The Laureates, Hidden Mitten, Coupleskate, Blue Ribbon Glee Club, Three Dollar Bill, In Miniature, Love of Everything, Chin Up Chin Up, and Gay Baby. 9 p.m., doors opening at 8 p.m. Abbey Pub, 3420 W Grace St. $6 in advance, $8 at the door. More info.

Jim Munroe: Therefore Repent! @ Quimby's

Novelist Jim Munroe stops by Quimby's tonight to discuss his graphic novel Therefore Repent! The event happens tonight at 7:00, and is free and open to the public. Quimby's: 1854 W. North. (773) 342-0910.

Nilita Vachani @ International House

Nilita Vachani will be at International House, sponsored by the Seminary Co-op Bookstore to talk about her book Homespun. Free. 6pm. 1414 E. 59th St. Call 773-752-4381 for more information.

Blewt! Sings @ Trader Todd's

Blewt! Sings!, a karaoke festival featuring your favorite characters and comics from Don't Spit the Water, hits Trader Todd's, 3216 N. Sheffield, tonight from 8pm to 10pm. $40 gets you drinks and food, plus the pleasure of hearing a bunch of comedians sing (you're invited to join in behind the mic, if you dare). Proceeds will be used to get the crew out to LA for a performance at the Comedy Central Stage on May 28th. Click here for more information or to purchase tickets.

Evan Fallenberg @ Barbara's Bookstore Oak Park

Evan Fallenberg will be at Barbara's Bookstore in Oak Park to talk about his book Light Fell. Free. 7:30pm. 1100 Lake St., Oak Park. Call 312-413-2665 for more information.

Sacramento Monarchs vs. Chicago Sky @ UIC Pavillion

It's the the home opener for the Sky who look to improve upon their near-playoff season in 2007. It'll also be the home regular season debut for Sky rookie star Sylvia Fowles, a 6-6 center from LSU. Game time is 7 p.m. at the UIC Pavillion, Harrison and Racine.

Art Smart @ LUMA

LUMA will be hosting another opportunity for young Chicago professionals to mingle, munch and show off their classy art-lovin' side. Artsmart, a networking event that "focuses on fun and fine-living" (and that isn't as much of a meat market as the MCA's First Fridays) will feature its newest exhibition, Manifest Destiny / Manifest Responsibility: Environmentalism and the Art of the American Landscape, a collection of works which reflect on our constantly changing surroundings and our place within the environment. 5:30 to 8:00 p.m at LUMA. To RSVP or for more information, contact luma@luc.edu.

Pilcrow Lit Fest @ Fixx Coffee Bar

For four days in May, Pilcrow Lit Fest will bring authors, writers, poets, librarians, booksellers, and publishers from around the country together in support of small presses and independent media through small workshops, panel discussions, lectures and author readings.

The Fixx Reading Series takes place tonight as part of the Pilcrow Lit Fest, featuring writers Katie Schwartz and Jami Attenberg, and hosted by Amy Guth. Free. 7:30pm. The Fixx Coffee Bar at 3053 N Sheffield Ave. Visit the Pilcrow Lit Fest website for more information.

Sexual Harrassment on the CTA

Members of the Roger's Park Young Women's Action Team are tired of getting groped, yelled at, and followed on the CTA, so they're hosting an event tonight from 5 to 7pm at Loyola University, Kasbeer Hall (25 East Pearson) for people to share their experiences of harrassment while riding trains and buses in the Chicago area. This event is free and open to people of all ages.

Sake 101 @ Sam's Wine & Spirits

Sam's Wine & Spirits, 1720 N. Marcey St., holds a seminar on sake tonight from 6pm to 7:30pm. Learn about sake history, the different styles and how to pair it with food. Presented by Dewey Weddington, vice president of marketing at SakeOne and a leading sake authority on sake. Tickets are $15 and must be purchased in advance.

Milan Furniture Fair Talk @ DWR Evanston

Helen Maria Nugent, co-owner of Haelo Design and associate professor of design at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), will be at Design Within Reach Evanston, 1710 Sherman Ave., tonight from 6pm to 8pm for a visual presentation of highlights from the 2008 Milan Furniture Fair, held April 16-21. The Milan Fair is the premier event for designers, both emerging and established, to showcase the latest innovations in form, function and material uses. The presentation will focus on what's new and notable in the fields of lighting and furniture design, and SAIC student work featured during the fair will be on display. Refreshments will be served. Free, but RSVP to evanston@dwr.com or 847-424-0881 by May 21.

Jeff Parker @ The Velvet Lounge

Jeff Parker's Thursday series continues tonight at the vaunted Velvet Lounge, in a duo with drummer John Herndon. Both of them are best known for their participation in Chicago post-rock innovators Tortoise, but their musical vision and abilities will stray far from that rubric at the Velvet Lounge. In a duo format, expect Jeff Parker and John Herndon to utilize various electronics and devices to expand the sound beyond the confines of guitar and drums. Both are able improvisers and producers and their whole bag of tricks will be used here. Jeff Parker and John Herndon play the Velvet Lounge, 67 E. Cermak, at 8:30 PM. Cover charge is $10.