Thursday, July 24, 2025

"Reading & Conversation: Katie Yee, "Maggie; Or a Man and Woman Walk into a Bar" w/Robert Yune," July 31 at White Whale Bookstore.


White Whale Bookstore will host "Reading & Conversation: Katie Yee, "Maggie; Or a Man and Woman Walk into a Bar" w/Robert Yune" on July 31.

Our staff at White Whale loves to celebrate debut authors! We are ecstatic to welcome Katie Yee to our store to celebrate the publication of her taut, wry, and glorious debut fiction novel about a woman who spins tragedy into comedy when her life falls apart: MAGGIE; OR A MAN AND A WOMAN WALK INTO A BAR. Katie will be joined in conveersation by writer, editor, and great friend of Whte Whale, Robert Yune.

A Chinese American woman spins tragedy into comedy when her life falls apart in a taut, wry debut novel that grapples with grief, motherhood, and myths—perfect for fans of Joan Is Okay and Crying in H Mart.

A man and a woman walk into a restaurant. The woman expects a lovely night filled with endless plates of samosas. Instead, she finds out her husband is having an affair with a woman named Maggie.

A short while after, her chest starts to ache. She walks into an examination room, where she finds out the pain in her breast isn’t just heartbreak—it’s cancer. She decides to call the tumor Maggie.

Unfolding in fragments over the course of the ensuing months, Maggie; Or, a Man and a Woman Walk Into a Bar follows the narrator as she embarks on a journey of grief, healing, and reclamation. She starts talking to Maggie (the tumor), getting acquainted with her body’s new inhabitant. She overgenerously creates a “Guide to My Husband: A User’s Manual” for Maggie (the other woman), hoping to ease the process of discovering her ex-husband’s whims and quirks. She turns her children’s bedtime stories into retellings of Chinese folklore passed down by her own mother, in an attempt to make them fall in love with their shared culture—and to maybe save herself in the process.

In the style of Jenny Offill and the tradition of Nora Ephron’s hilarious and devastating writing on heartbreak and womanhood, Maggie is a master class in transforming personal tragedy into a form of defiant comedy.

As a Navy brat, ROBERT YUNE moved 11 times by the time he turned 18. After graduating from Pitt, he lived in Pittsburgh for the next 15 years. In the summer of 2012, he worked as a stand-in for George Takei and has appeared as an extra in commercials and movies such as Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and Fathers and Daughters. Yune’s fiction has been published in Green Mountains Review, The Kenyon Review, and Pleiades, among others. In 2009, he received a writing fellowship from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. In 2015, his debut novel Eighty Days of Sunlight was nominated for the International DUBLIN Literary Award. His debut story collection Impossible Children won the Mary McCarthy Prize and was published by Sarabande Books. Yune serves on the board of Autumn House Press and lives in West Virginia.  

KATIE YEE is a writer from Brooklyn. She has received fellowships from the Center for Fiction, the Asian American Writers’ Workshop, and Kundiman. Her work has appeared in the Los Angeles Review of Books, No Tokens, The Believer, the Washington Square Review, Triangle House, Epiphany, and Literary Hub. By day, she works at the Brooklyn Museum. By night, she writes, usually under the watch of her judgmental rescue dog, Ollie.


The event runs from 7:00 to 8:00 pm and takes place in-person at the bookstore and online through a livestream.  Registration for either can be completed online and the book is available for pre-order through White Whale Bookstore as well. The bookstore is located at 4754 Liberty Ave. in Bloomfield (map).

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Togyu Asian Barbecue and Bar in Cranberry announces August 4 Grand Opening.


Togyu Asian Barbecue and Bar in Cranberry, which will hold its soft opening today from 3:00 to 8:00 pm, has announced an August 4 Grand Opening. It is located in the Cranberry Mall spot formerly occupied by Lumberjaxes Axe Throwing (map).
Welcome to Togyu Asian Barbecue & Bar—Pittsburgh’s premier destination for refined Korean and Japanese-style barbecue. Conceived by two brothers with a profound appreciation for the artistry of authentic Asian cuisine, Togyu was born from a desire to introduce an elevated culinary experience unlike any other in the city.

Drawing inspiration from the vibrant dining culture of cities like Seoul and Tokyo, we’ve curated an environment where elegance meets tradition.

Guests are invited to indulge in the highest quality Angus Prime beef, expertly paired with the freshest locally sourced vegetables, all prepared to perfection at the table. Every detail is designed to enhance the senses—from the richness of the ingredients to the ambiance that surrounds each meal.
Initially announced in March, it is one of several all-you-can-eat Korean-style BBQ places announced for the Pittsburgh area in the last couple years, but the first for Cranberry.

Shin Godzilla (シン・ゴジラ) in 4K, in Pittsburgh-area theaters from August 13.


The 2016 Japanese movie Shin Godzilla (シン・ゴジラ) will play in 4K in Pittsburgh-area theaters from August 13.
Something has surfaced in Tokyo Bay. As the Prime Minister of Japan pleads with the public to remain calm, a horrific creature of tremendous size makes landfall in the city, leaving death and destruction in its wake. Then it evolves. The government scrambles to assemble a task force to research and combat the monster. The next morning, an envoy from the US Department of State delivers a folder of classified documents bearing the name: “GODZILLA.” From visionary directors Shinji Higuchi and Hideaki Anno, Shin Godzilla offers a thrilling origin story to one of cinema’s greatest creations. Propelled by astounding visual effects and rapid-fire dialogue, Shin Godzilla is equal parts pulse-pounding action film and venomous political satire, worthy of the franchise’s towering history.
It is scheduled to play locally, so far, at the Cinemark theater in Robinson and the AMC Westmoreland 15 in Greensburg, and tickets are available online.

BTS ARMY: Forever We Are Young in Pittsburgh-area theaters, from July 30.


The 2025 documentary BTS ARMY: Forever We Are Young, following fans of Korean group BTS, will play in the Pittsburgh area from July 30.
From Seoul to Los Angeles, Texas to Mexico City, BTS ARMY is everywhere. FOREVER WE ARE YOUNG dives into the passionate fandom that catapulted 21st century pop icons BTS into a global household name. We meet fans at a BTS-focused ReactorCon in Lewisville, Texas, a dance instructor in Seoul who only teaches BTS choreography, and fans who’ve been organizing since 2013 to help BTS dominate the charts. Defying stereotypes of pop fans as screaming teen girls, ARMY is an intergenerational, culturally savvy, and socially active movement that is as diverse as the world itself. The film captures the powerful spirit of activism and collectivity that make ARMY a symbol of hope and unity in our ever-fractured world.
It is scheduled to play locally at the Cinemark theaers in McCandless and Monaca and tickets are available online.

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

"Let Memory Shine: Illuminating Family Stories Through Art (點亮記憶的光:跨世代與跨文化的故事交流)," August 23 at Carnegie Library in Squirrel Hill.


Cafe Philo Pittsburgh will host a storytelling and art workshop, "Let Memory Shine: Illuminating Family Stories Through Art (點亮記憶的光:跨世代與跨文化的故事交流)," on August 23 at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Squirrel Hill branch.
✨ What’s This All About?

​​Join us for a heartwarming and hands-on day of storytelling, art, and cultural connection! As part of the Taiwan World Portrait Project’s 2025 North America Tour, this workshop invites you to reflect on your family traditions (biological or chosen!), migration journeys, and cherished memories — and then bring them to life through the magical medium of lightbox art. 

Led by acclaimed Taiwanese educator and artist Mr. Chen Yu-He (陳雨禾), you’ll learn how to transform your personal stories into glowing works of art using drawing, paper cutting, and light. Whether you come solo, with friends, or as a multi-generational family, you’ll create a beautiful, handmade lightbox that celebrates your heritage and creativity.

Pittsburgh is the 6th stop on the “World Portraits: Starting from Taiwan’s Collective Creative Experience” tour, which includes workshops in Salt Lake City, San Diego, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Seattle, and Chicago. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to be part of a creative movement!

Check out highlights from previous workshops in Taiwan, Northern Thailand and Japan

🎨 What Will I Do?

  • Reflect on your family history, migration stories, or cultural traditions in your biological or chosen family
  • Sketch meaningful people, places, or objects from your memories
  • Learn paper cutting techniques to create layered visual scenes
  • Assemble and light up your own story lightbox 
  • Share and connect with others in an intercultural setting to celebrate our diversity 

Monday, July 21, 2025

Fresh Garden Kitchen (鑫福源) has soft opened in Squirrel Hill.


Fresh Garden Kitchen (鑫福源) held its soft opening on July 12. Signage went up for the new spot in June, at 2209 Murray Ave. (map), the home of the popular Ka Mei from 2006 to 2020. Since Ka Mei's closure, a number of restaurants have occupied the spot, including Teppan BBQ in 2020, a joint Teppan BBQ - Mr. Egg's Kitchen, I Bowl in 2024, and K L Asian Cuisine briefly in 2025.

Saturday, July 19, 2025

Sabrina Wu at Bottlerocket Social Hall, July 27.


Bottlerocket Social Hall will host actor, writer, and comedian Sabrina Wu on July 27.

Sabrina Wu is a New York based actor, writer, and stand-up comedian. They made their feature film debut in the Lionsgate comedy JOY RIDE, from executive producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and director Adele Lim. They’ve also guest starred in ABBOTT ELEMENTARY, and are a series regular in MURDERBOT starring Alexander Skarsgard on Apple TV+.


Why'd We Book It?

Sabrina Wu is one to watch, and their talent shines both on screen and on stage, and we're lucky to have them this July at Bottlerocket! Sabrina's ability to deliver quick, witty, impressions and interact with the crowd exemplifies an energy that is genuinely funny as well as relatableAs fans of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, we loved Sabrina on ABC's Abbott Elementary, and we know you will love Sabrina's stand up set, too!

More details, and tickets, are available at the venue's website. Doors for the all-ages show open at 5. Bottlerocket Social Hall is located at 1226 Arlington Ave. in the Allentown neighborhood (map).

Japanese company headquartered in Pittsburgh hiring bilingual Assistant Office Manager.

A Japanese company headquartered in Pittsburgh is hiring a bilingual Japanese-English Assistant Office Manager. The job ad, via Japanese staffing agency Pasona:
A global Japanese-affiliated company with operations across North America is seeking a Bilingual Assistant Office Manager to support its administrative headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA (on-site). This role is ideal for someone who enjoys a broad range of administrative responsibilities and providing high-touch support to expats and executive staff.


Key Responsibilities:

Office Administration & Coordination

  • Manage day-to-day office operations, including supplies procurement, vendor coordination, facility maintenance, and document control.
  • Serve as the main contact for building management, local authorities, and service vendors (e.g., IT, security, etc.).
  • Coordinate company events and support executive office functions as needed.
  • Greet and assist visitors and handle incoming calls in a professional manner.

HR & Benefits Support

  • Assist with the administration of benefit programs including group health plans, 401(k), COBRA, etc.
  • Maintain accurate employee records, process claims, and conduct basic benefits research.
  • Serve as a liaison between staff and external parties (e.g., legal, insurance providers).

Expatriate Support

  • Provide comprehensive support to Japanese expats stationed at affiliated companies, including:
    • Initial relocation setup (housing contracts, utilities, SSN, driver’s license, etc.)
    • Ongoing assistance (contract renewals, hospital visits, emergency support)
    • Departure and wrap-up arrangements

Friday, July 18, 2025

Concert #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in AMSTERDAM: LIVE VIEWING in Pittsburgh-area theaters, August 9.


The upcoming concert #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in AMSTERDAM: LIVE VIEWING will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters on August 9.
Starting in Goyang, and continuing through Japan, North America, and Europe, Jin embarks on a journey to connect with his beloved ARMY through his very first solo fan concert tour. Experience Jin’s one-of-a-kind music and performances from his August 9 show in AMSTERDAM - featuring tracks from his second solo album, “Echo”, along with his debut solo album, “Happy” - broadcast live on the big screen!
It plays locally at the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville and McCandless at 1:45 pm and 5:30 pm, and tickets are available online.

Thursday, July 17, 2025

More dates for compilation film JUJUTSU KAISEN: Hidden Inventory / Premature Death, staying in Pittsburgh through (at least) July 23.


The compilation film JUJUTSU KAISEN: Hidden Inventory / Premature Death, which initially played in Pittsburgh-area theaters on July 16 and 17, will stay here through (at least) July 23. A synopsis of the movie and a summary of the event, from the distributor:
Before they were enemies, Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto were high school classmates and friends. The two powerful sorcerers are tasked with protecting Riko Amanai, a student who has been designated to be sacrificed as the Star Plasma Vessel, until she can fulfill her duty. Pursued by a religious cult and other curse users, they are the only sorcerers capable of carrying out such a difficult task – but this mission will set their destinies, and challenge the two sorcerers in ways unimaginable.

The beloved and deeply emotional “Hidden Inventory / Premature Death” arc from the global phenomenon JUJUTSU KAISEN returns to the big screen, reaching all new heights for fans and newcomers alike.
. . .
JUJUTSU KAISEN: Hidden Inventory / Premature Death – The Movie comes to North American theaters nationwide beginning July 16th. The theatrical compilation feature returns to the widely beloved “Hidden Inventory / Premature Death” story arc of the globally acclaimed JUJUTSU KAISEN series, which focused on the younger days of fan-favorite characters Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto, who shared a deep bond that was tested by one fateful mission. Featuring newly remixed sound for an immersive theater experience, and an all-new acoustic version of Tatsuya Kitani’s “Where Our Blue Is,” this high-quality adaptation, which captivated audiences during its original broadcast, reaches new heights—bringing the powerful story back to the big screen.
It is scheduled to play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, the AMC Westmoreland in Greensburg, and the Cinemark theaters in McCandless and Robinson, and tickets are available online.

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