Pitt buys former Spice Island Tea House, Smile Thai building.

The University of Pittsburgh has purchased the former Spice Island Tea House building, which was most recently home to Smile Thai and Sushi:

Pitt purchased 251-253 Atwood St. for just under $1.37 million last month, according to Allegheny County real estate records.

University officials wouldn’t disclose plans for the 4,436-square-foot property.

“The university is always looking for opportunities near campus that support our long-term mission and give us flexibility to meet future academic needs and to contribute to the vibrancy of Oakland,” spokesman Jared Stonesifer said. “This purchase helps ensure we can continue to grow in a thoughtful and strategic way.”

The spot was home to Spice Island Tea House for 28 years until it closed in September 2023. Smile Thai and Sushi opened in October 2024 and closed in Summer 2025.

Peregrination: Xiaojing Yan 闫晓静 exhibition opens at Contemporary Craft, February 6; Artist Talk on February 7.

Peregrination, an exhibition by Chinese Canadian artist Xiaojing Yan (闫晓静), will open at Contemporary Craft on February 6 and run through May 2.

Peregrination, a long and meandering journey… 

This exhibition features work by Toronto based artist, Xiaojing Yan. Through the lens of personal migration and cultural hybridity, Yan explores the evolving relationship between identity, tradition, and the natural world. Yan’s art reflects a journey of transformation – an intricate weaving of folklore, ritual, and nature into a symbolic and dreamlike representation of lived experience. 

Drawing from ancient Chinese myths and customs, Yan reinterprets traditional narrative through a contemporary lens, reflecting on the fluidity of cultural memory. Her practice is both a tribute and a reimagining, examining how heritage can be at once rooted and reshaped – especially through her choices of materials and processes. Natural motifs, often deeply embedded in Chinese folklore, emerge in her work as metaphors for movement, adaptation, and belonging. Mountains, rivers, and celestial elements echo the rhythms of migration, symbolizing the passage between worlds – both physical and spiritual. 

Through meticulous craftsmanship and layered symbolism, her work becomes a meditation space – where the past converses with the present. Laden with symbolism, her creations remain as resonant today as they were historically, also engaging with contemporary concerns. In this act of peregrination, Yan constructs a landscape uniquely her own, evoking poetic and philosophical reflections on humanity’s connection to the natural world.

The opening reception is on February 6, 5:30 to 8:30 pm, and is free and open to the public. Other free associated events, for which reservation is required, include an Artist Talk on February 7, a guided tour on March 21, and a guided tour on May 2. Contemporary Craft is located at 5645 Butler St. in Lawrenceville (map).

Promo code available for "The Great Race: The Story of the Chinese Zodiac" at Byham Theater, March 14.

"The Great Race: The Story of the Chinese Zodiac" will be performed at the Byham Theater on March 14, 2026, part of the Trust Family Series of performances aimed at younger audiences.

Join Freddie and Ivy alongside their grandparents, Po Po and Kung Kung, as their Chinese New Year celebrations take a turn from dumpling-making to discovering the incredible origin story of the Chinese Zodiac!

When the Jade Emperor needs a way to tell time, he decrees that the first twelve animals to cross the race’s mighty river will have a year named after them and will mark the passage of a 12-year cycle.

Learn which animals win & what traits helped their success, why the rat and cat are enemies, and how each animal earned their place in the Zodiac while enjoying traditional Chinese movement, music and martial arts!

The booking agency says the performance is best for kids in kindergarten through grade 3. Tickets are available online, and PennsylvAsia readers can use promo code HORSE for 15% off. The show starts at 2:00 pm, and the Byham Theater is located at 101 6th Street in downtown's Cultural District (map).

Yoritayo presents Taiwan Talks: A Historical Presentation on Taiwan’s History and Its Effects on the Modern World, February 28.

Yoritayo presents Taiwan Talks: A Historical Presentation on Taiwan’s History and Its Effects on the Modern World on February 28 at the Irma Freeman Center.

Let's talk about Taiwan! We'll be diving into the history of Taiwan, focusing on the indigenous communities. most importantly, we'll discuss how we can continue building community + solidarity with fellow Taiwanese and other marginalized communities.

. . .

If you are Taiwanese please feel free to bring your presence, your art, food, or any other objects that connect you with your culture. :-)

The event runs from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. The Irma Freeman Center for Imagination is located at 5006 Penn Ave. in Bloomfield (map).

Beginning-level Mandarin Chinese courses at Carnegie Library - Hill District branch, Wednesdays from March 4.

via Khun Hans Photography (Creative Commons)

According to today's University of Pittsburgh Asian Studies Center newsletter, the Carnegie Library - Hill District will host two Asian Studies Center interns to lead beginning-level Mandarin Chinese classes on Wednesdays from March 4 through April 22. Classes run from 4:00 to 5:00 pm and are free, though registration is required. The Hill District branch is located at 2177 Centre Ave. (map).

Planet K-Pop: The Ultimate K-Pop Tribute Concert, June 6 at the Benedum Center.

Planet K-Pop: The Ultimate K-Pop Tribute Concert will come to Pittsburgh on June 6.

Experience the music of K-pop Demon Hunters, BTS, Huntr/x, BLACKPINK, and many more. 

- A high-energy tribute brought to life by live singers and dancers! 

Planet K-Pop is a unique hybrid spectacle that blends the excitement of a live concert with the immersion of a full dance experience! The choreography pushes the energy sky-high, shaping a visual feast of synchronized movement, iconic formations, and unmistakable K-pop flair. 

And the excitement doesn’t stop there. Prepare for on-stage dance battles, dynamic lighting moments, high-energy highlights, and surprise cast interactions, all crafted to pull you deeper into the spirit of the fandom and make this an unforgettable celebration of global K-pop culture! 

The show starts at 7:00 pm and tickets are available online from $51.33 to $85.55. The Benedum Center for the Performing Arts is located at 237 7th St. in downtown's Cultural District (map).

Concert film ENHYPEN [Walk the Line Summer Edition] in Cinemas in Pittsburgh, from March 5.

The concert film ENHYPEN [Walk the Line Summer Edition] in Cinemas will play in Pittsburgh March 5 and 7.

Experience ENHYPEN WORLD TOUR ‘WALK THE LINE’ IN JAPAN – SUMMER EDITION on the big screen! From their very first meeting to the global stage they command today, ENHYPEN’s journey is one of growth, unity, and connection. Rising to million-seller status within a year, achieving a record-breaking Tokyo Dome debut, earning their first grand prize in 2025, and delivering a headline-making performance at Coachella, the group’s success has been shaped by the powerful bond they share with ENGENEs. This concert film captures that bond in full: electrifying live performances, the intensity of rehearsals, candid moments behind the scenes, and the everyday lives of the members as they travel through Japan in the heat of summer. More than a concert, it is a celebration of connection, a line that continues to extend forward, carrying ENHYPEN and ENGENEs toward the future, together.

It will play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville and Robinson, and tickets are available online.

Stuck in Saṃsāra exhibition at Bunker Projects, February 6 through March 22.

Stuck in Saṃsāra, featuring artwork from ten AAPI artists from around the country (including Pittsburgh), will be on display at Bunker Projects from February 6 through March 22.

Stuck in Saṃsāra

Feb 6 - Mar 22, 2025

Taking inspiration from the Lotus Sutra, the exhibition reimagines the Parable of the Burning House, one of the most important stories from the sutra. The story describes a vast house, owned by a very rich man, which suddenly catches fire. The man’s children are so busy playing that they do not notice or believe that the house is burning. In order to save them, he promises to give them his riches if they leave the house. In the story, the burning house represents the world of suffering—or samsara—and the man’s riches represent the Buddha’s teachings of liberation—nirvana. However, the sutra teaches that this is just a story. In truth, there is no way out of the house. We can only find liberation within the flames. The world of suffering is the world of liberation—to awaken to suffering is liberation itself.

Central to the story, and to the exhibition, is the image of fire in its many forms. Fire is destruction and death, but it’s also energy, purification, rebirth, life itself. Flames destroy but they also bloom. Alongside fire, the works in the exhibition also explore themes of attention and awareness, sexuality and desire, nature, beauty, ritual, devotion, and grief. The exhibition seeks to present these images in a way that challenges conventional dualistic distinctions.

While the works in the exhibition are not necessarily political, they do offer a way of thinking about current global crises, including climate disaster, genocide, and fascism. While most of the artists in the exhibition don’t identify as Buddhists, their work can still help us to understand our relationship to suffering and how we respond to it. I think that artists are people who are always paying attention—who are especially aware of suffering in their own lives and in the world around them—and trying to show it to us.

Featuring Christian Bañez, Martin Castro, Jon Chao, Anne Chen, Eriko Hattori, Marius Keo Marjolin, Brent Nakamoto, Anthony Park Kascak, Sara Tang, and Song Watkins Park.

Curated by Brent Nakamoto.

The opening reception runs 6:00 to 9:00 pm on Friday the 6th. Bunker Projects is an art gallery located at 5106 Penn Ave. in Bloomfield (map).

2025 Japanese animated movie Scarlet ( 果てしなきスカーレット) in Pittsburgh from February 6.

The 2025 Japanese animated movie Scarlet ( 果てしなきスカーレット) will play in Pittsburgh from February 6 through (at least) February 19.

A sword-wielding princess embarks on a dangerous quest to avenge the death of her father. She soon meets an idealistic young man who shows her the possibility of a future free of bitterness and rage.

It plays locally, so far, at the AMC Loews Waterfront through the 10th and the AMC Westmoreland in Greensburg from the 12th, and tickets are available online.

2025 Park Chan-wook film No Other Choice (어쩔수가없다) stays in Pittsburgh through (at least) February 12.

The 2025 Park Chan-wook film No Other Choice (어쩔수가없다), which opened in Pittsburgh on January 15 after a one-day early access screening on December 8, will stay here through (at least) February 12.

From director Park Chan-wook and based on Donald E. Westlake's novel THE AX, the story follows Man-su on his desperate hunt for a new job after his abrupt layoff from the paper company he served for 25 years.

It continues at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Manor in Squirrel Hill. Tickets are available online.