Saturday, November 30, 2019

Chinese shipping and express mail company Kuapai (快派) opens Pittsburgh location in Squirrel Hill.



Chinese shipping company and express mail service Kuaipai Global (快派) recently opened a Pittsburgh location in Squirrel Hill. It is located at 5815 Forbes Ave #2FL (map), above Thai & Noodle Outlet and Instyle salon. It is one of several Chinese express mail companies to come and go from the neighborhood in recent years: KS Express (later YM-EX) opened on Murray Ave. in November 2016 and STO Express arrived in January 2016 and left in summer 2017.

"Kitsuke: The Art Of Kimono," scheduled for December 2 at Pitt, has been postponed.


"Vivid kimono" by Raita Futo (Creative Commons).

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center's "Kitsuke: The Art Of Kimono," originally scheduled for December 2, has been postponed, according to the ASC's Twitter.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Dagu Rice Noodle (大鼓米线) coming soon to Squirrel Hill, will replace The Magic Noodle.



Signage recently went up at Forbes Ave. in Squirrel Hill (map) for Dagu Rice Noodle (大鼓米线), a Chinese chain that opened its first American location in Las Vegas and has another location in Cleveland.
In the middle of the Ming Dynasty, there was a restaurant without a sign near the flowery Drum tower in Yunnan, Kunming. Whenever the city had a happy news, people rang the drum to celebrate. Along with the joy of drumbeat, people flocked to the unnamed little restaurant and had bowls of hot rice noodle soup, meaning “smooth long time”. Because of this joy, with the honesty of the shop owner, the little restaurant eventually became a century-old business.
It replaces The Magic Noodle, which opened in May and in turn replaced Sun Penang, which closed earlier in 2019.

Pittsburgh Chinese School hiring teachers.

The Pittsburgh Chinese School, which meets on Sundays at Taylor Allderdice High School in Squirrel Hill, is hiring teachers.
岗位要求:
1、热爱中国文化,并有热情将中国的文化广泛传播。
2、喜欢孩子,有爱心、耐心,责任心,有亲和力。
3、普通话发音标准清晰,语言表达能力强。
4、有基本的英语表达沟通能力。
5、有中文教学经验,尤其是有中小学教学经验者优先。
6、有教育或中文相关学历者优先。
7、文艺课教师有相关学历或工作经验者优先。

2012 film Falling Flowers (萧红) at Maridon Museum, December 5.



The 2012 film Falling Flowers (萧红) will play at Butler's Maridon Museum on November 8 as part of its Chinese Film Series. The movie starts at 6:00 pm and is paired by an introduction from Dr. Wei Bian of Slippery Rock University. The movie is free and open to the public, though reservations are required and can be made at 724-282-0123. The Maridon, an Asian art museum, is located at 322 North McKean St. in downtown Butler (map), roughly 40 miles north of Pittsburgh.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Susan Lieu and "140 LBS: How Beauty Killed My Mother" at Pitt, January 10.



The University of Pittsburgh's Vietnamese Student Association will host playwright Susan Lieu and her "140 LBS: How Beauty Killed My Mother" on January 10, 2020.
The Vietnamese Student Association presents: Susan Lieu x 140 LBS: HOW BEAUTY KILLED MY MOTHER.

Susan Lieu is a Vietnamese-American playwright, performer, director and activist. “140 LBS” is an emotional solo performance written and performed by Susan and directed by Sarah Prokalob that tells the story of Susan’s mother who passed away in surgery due to medical malpractice. The performance brings to awareness “the multi-generational immigrant experience, body insecurity and shame, repression and subsequent examination of personal loss, lack of accountability in the medical system, and the Vietnamese folkloric practice of spirit channeling.” Susan is currently on a national tour to bring this story into the lives of others and to start a discussion on important topics relevant to today’s society.

Free Chinese, Japanese, Korean classes in Pittsburgh in December.


a night view of Seoul, by sinano1000 (Creative Commons)

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will continue to offer free Chinese, Japanese, and Korean classes at some of its branches this December. Check out the class information below in addition to its language resources on the shelves and online.

As the library notes: these classes are free; registration is not required; no materials are needed and nothing needs to be bought; new participants are welcome at any time; classes are for adults (unless otherwise noted) but well-behaved young people are welcome to join as well.

Sister City Saitama to send cohorts of students to Pittsburgh from 2020.



A delegation from Saitama, Japan, met with Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Anthony Hamlet earlier this month to explore opportunities for collaboration. Saitama and Pittsburgh became Sister Cities in 1998. Dr. Hamlet writes on Facebook:
Starting in 2020, Saitama City will send its first cohort of students to Pittsburgh to participate in local programs and conduct fieldwork in Pittsburgh’s universities and museums.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

2019 Chinese movie Better Days (少年的你) continues in Pittsburgh through December 4.



The new Chinese movie Better Days (少年的你), which opened in Pittsburgh on November 15, will continue through at least December 4. From the distributor:
From the award-winning team of Soul Mate, comes a new Chinese drama movie by Derek Kwok-Cheung Tsang, starring Jackson Yee and Zhou Dongyu.

When it is time for the Chinese gaokao, a two-day national college entrance exam, the entire country comes to a standstill. For nearly ten million high school students, this exam not only determines where and if they get to study but the fates of their entire families as well. Like so many others, Nian has been single-mindedly preparing for the exam, cutting everything else out of her life. When she becomes the target of relentless bullying, fate brings her together with small-time criminal Bei and the two form a strong friendship. Before they can completely retreat into a world of their own, the two are dragged in the middle of a murder case of a teenage girl where they are the prime suspects. In this dramatic thriller, Derek Kwok-Cheung Tsang paints a bleak picture of an oppressive society, in the guise of a gripping fairy-tale love story, exposing the dark world of bullying and societal pressures of achievement facing today’s youth.
It will play at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online. The theater is located at 300 West Waterfront Dr. in the Waterfront shopping complex in Homestead (map), across the Monongahela River from Greenfield, Squirrel Hill, and the rest of Pittsburgh.

Bong Joon-ho film Parasite (기생충) continues in Pittsburgh through December 4.



The acclaimed 2019 Bong Joon-ho film Parasite (기생충), which opened in Pittsburgh on November 1, will continue in Pittsburgh through at least December 4.
Bong Joon Ho brings his singular mastery home to Korea in this pitch-black modern fairytale.

Meet the Park Family: the picture of aspirational wealth. And the Kim Family, rich in street smarts but not much else. Be it chance or fate, these two houses are brought together and the Kims sense a golden opportunity. Masterminded by college-aged Ki-woo, the Kim children expediently install themselves as tutor and art therapist, to the Parks. Soon, a symbiotic relationship forms between the two families. The Kims provide “indispensable” luxury services while the Parks obliviously bankroll their entire household. When a parasitic interloper threatens the Kims’ newfound comfort, a savage, underhanded battle for dominance breaks out, threatening to destroy the fragile ecosystem between the Kims and the Parks. By turns darkly hilarious and heart-wrenching, PARASITE showcases a modern master at the top of his game.
Parasite won the Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. It continues locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront. Tickets are available online.

Monday, November 25, 2019

"Kitsuke: The Art Of Kimono," December 2 at Pitt.


"Vivid kimono" by Raita Futo (Creative Commons).

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Evan Mason and his workshop "Kitsuke: The Art Of Kimono" on December 2.
Pitt alumnus Evan Mason will teach participants about the craftsmanship put into designing a kimono. The lecture will begin with a lesson on the history and significance of the kimono in Japan, follow with a kitsuke demonstration (how to wear traditional Japanese attire), and end with participants trying on their own yukatas (casual kimonos)!
It runs from 4:00 to 5:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map).

Miyazaki Week at Row House Cinema, November 29 through December 5.




The Row House Cinema will present its annual Miyazaki Week this year from November 29 through December 5. Selections include Castle in the Sky (天空の城ラピュタ), Howl's Moving Castle (ハウルの動く城), Porco Rosso (紅の豚), and Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し). Tickets are available online and the Row House notes "Many shows will sell out. We recommend buying tickets in advance." Please also note that some shows are dubbed in English while others are in Japanese with English subtitles.

The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

1988 film Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack (機動戦士ガンダム 逆襲のシャア) in Pittsburgh, December 5.



As part of the 40th anniversary celebration for the Gundam franchise, the 1988 movie Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack (機動戦士ガンダム 逆襲のシャア) will return to theaters on December 5. From the distributor:
Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Gundam franchise when Char's Counterattack returns to theatres!

Amuro and Char, two best mobile suit (robotic weapons) pilots who fought together against Titans after the Jion's independency war, must face each other in a fateful duel where the Neo-Jion, led by Char, attempts to drop a gigantic meteor and its nuclear weapons to Earth in order to cause Nuclear Winter to wipe out the Earth inhabitants.

Gundam fans won’t want to miss out on this exclusive one-night-only event, featuring a special interview with franchise creator Yoshiyuki Tomino!
It will play locally, in Japanese with English subtitles, at the Southside Works Cinema and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, Robinson, and Pittsburgh Mills. Tickets are available online.

Friday, November 22, 2019

The Tale of Princess Kaguya (かぐや姫の物語) in Pittsburgh, December 16 and 18.



The 2013 film The Tale of Princess Kaguya (かぐや姫の物語) will play in Pittsburgh on December 16 and 18 as the final installment of this year's GKIDS Ghibli Fest. A 2014 A.V. Club review provides a summary:
A humble bamboo cutter named Okina (translation: “old man”) happens upon a glowing stalk in the grove near his house. When he investigates, the shimmering tree blossoms reveal a baby nested inside. Believing this discovery to be a gift from the heavens, Okina brings her home to his wife Ouna (“old woman”), with whom he begins to raise the child as their own. Dubbing her “Princess” Kaguya, Ouna and Okina marvel at how rapidly the girl begins to grow, racing from infancy to pre-adolescence in a matter of days.

While Kaguya busies herself with a normal childhood, making friends with the local kids and bonding with an older boy named Sutemaru, her adopted father becomes distracted by Kaguya’s value to him—the bamboo shoot from which she was born begins producing gold. As Kaguya transforms into a teenager, Okina relocates their family to the capital city, where the girl receives lessons on how to be a proper woman, and is celebrated as a rare beauty. When five aggressive suitors come calling—followed by the emperor himself—Kaguya begins to feel trapped, things falling apart as she imagines a different life for herself.
It goes on to say the film has "some of the most beautifully expressive animation that Ghibli (or anyone else) has ever produced".

The film will play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, the North Hills, Pittsburgh Mills, and Robinson, and tickets are available online. The December 16 shows are dubbed in English while the December 18 screenings are in Japanese with English subtitles.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

2019 KPOPittsburgh Holiday Kpop Dance Party, December 13.



412 K-Town / KPOP Pittsburgh will host a KPOPittsburgh Holiday Kpop Dance Party on December 13.
Hi guys .. Chritsmas is near and it is almost end of 2019 .. Come join Us @2019 KPOPittsburgh Holiday kpop dance party. Dj.kidplay will be in the house and spin your fav Kpop Boy/girl group songs , k hiphop and Rnb , K EDM , mash up/remixes and more ..
this event will be happening on Dec 13th ( Friday) @ levelup studio " 8pm-12am". This event is 18 and up ( No alcohol but we will have water for you guys ^^) and $10 at the door. hope to see you guys there ^^ 감사합니다
It starts at 8:00 pm at Level Up Studios in Bloomfield (map).

Yang Jin and Mimi Jong performing as "String Bouquet" in Oakland, November 24.



Pipa performer Yang Jin and erhu performer Mimi Jong will perform as "String Bouquet" on November 24 at the Carnegie Library in Oakland, part of the World Kaleidoscope series.
As individual artists, Jin Yang and Mimi Jong have been dedicated to the study and performance of traditional Chinese music. Since meeting in 2015, they have embarked on a musical journey together. From concert halls to libraries, from universities to community centers, from museums to house concerts, String Bouquet is permeating the hearts of their audience. Their versatile styles include Chinese traditional, global, western classical, jazz, pop and modern music. Their multi-media projects include collaboration with dance and various performance arts. String Bouquet continues to explore and expand the possibilities of their creativity, bringing exciting music presentations to their audience.
The performance runs from 2:00 to 3:00 pm in the North Wing Music Room on the second floor. The library is located at 4400 Forbes Ave. in Oakland (map) and is accessible by buses 28X, 54, 61C, 61D, 67, 69, 71A, 71B, 71C, 71D, and 93.

The Course of Democracy Never Did Run Smooth: Hongkongers’ Political Awakening (從反送中運動看港人的掙扎與蛻變), December 15 at CMU.



Cafe Philo @ Pittsburgh will present an English-language talk, The Course of Democracy Never Did Run Smooth: Hongkongers’ Political Awakening (從反送中運動看港人的掙扎與蛻變), on December 15 at Carnegie Mellon University.
The Anti-Extradition Movement in Hong Kong Political apathy seems to have reigned Hong Kong for very long. And yet the recent Anti-Extradition Movement, the largest and longest social movement in the history of Hong Kong, has been joined by over one-third of the population. Through a discussion on the Anti-Extradition Movement, this seminar aims to provide a general understanding of the struggle for democracy in Hong Kong, especially its milestones, transformations, and current obstacles, and to explore the reasons for Hongkongers' political awakening.

Speakers: Hong Kong Social Action Movements in Boston (https://www.facebook.com/HKSAMBOS/)
Date: Sunday, December 15th , 2-4 pm
Place: CMU Wean Hall 4623
Host: Café Philo-Pittsburgh
This talk will be delivered in English.

“An Island of Death”: Homo Sacer and Ungrievable Deaths, December 13 at Pitt.


via thejejumassacre.com

Y.J. Hwang will give a lecture, “An Island of Death”: Homo Sacer and Ungrievable Deaths, on the Jeju Island Massacres on December 13.
Jeju Island is internationally known as “the Hawaii of Asia” because of its scenic landscapes. But it is not known that this volcanic island is also called “an Island of Death” in connection with the Jeju massacre (1948-1949). This talk thus focuses on the ways in which the victims of the mass killing are enacted in relation to cultural implications of conceptualizing deaths of the Jeju incident. Given that the main characteristic of the Cold War narrative is associated with the reburial of the dead and the finding of missing bodies in the context of modern Korean history, this talk engages with the way in which cultural memory is performed in Jeju Peace Memorial Park through artistic practices and monuments. Concentrating on the injustice of death, the ethics of the dead, and the relationship between history and memory, it also includes how this site reveals a futuristic vision of understanding the Jeju massacre.

YJ, Hwang is a teaching fellow, working on her doctoral project in relation to South Korea’s Jeju massacre and its cultural memory at the University of Pittsburgh. As a theatre and performance studies scholar, her research interests include gender, memory, and mobility.
It starts at 12:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map).

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Pirates again without an Asian player after Wang becomes free agent.



In not-so-news from earlier this month, the Pirates granted Taiwanese pitcher Wei-chung Wang (王維中) free agency on November 4, leaving them again without an Asian player on their roster. Wang joined the team on August 31 as the first Taiwanese player in Pittsburgh Pirates history and made five appearances toward the end of the season. He was the sixth Asian player to appear in a regular-season game for Pittsburgh, following Jung-ho Kang, Akinori Iwamura, Hisanori Takahashi, Chan-ho Park, and Masumi Kuwata.

The Pirates still have a number of Asian players in their system, including Taiwanese infield prospect Cheng Tsung-Che (鄭宗哲) and Korean shortstop Ji-hwan Bae, who is currently ranked the #8 prospect in the team's system.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

2019 Chinese movie Better Days (少年的你) continues in Pittsburgh through November 25.



The new Chinese movie Better Days (少年的你), which opened in Pittsburgh on November 15, will continue through at least November 25. From the distributor:
From the award-winning team of Soul Mate, comes a new Chinese drama movie by Derek Kwok-Cheung Tsang, starring Jackson Yee and Zhou Dongyu.

When it is time for the Chinese gaokao, a two-day national college entrance exam, the entire country comes to a standstill. For nearly ten million high school students, this exam not only determines where and if they get to study but the fates of their entire families as well. Like so many others, Nian has been single-mindedly preparing for the exam, cutting everything else out of her life. When she becomes the target of relentless bullying, fate brings her together with small-time criminal Bei and the two form a strong friendship. Before they can completely retreat into a world of their own, the two are dragged in the middle of a murder case of a teenage girl where they are the prime suspects. In this dramatic thriller, Derek Kwok-Cheung Tsang paints a bleak picture of an oppressive society, in the guise of a gripping fairy-tale love story, exposing the dark world of bullying and societal pressures of achievement facing today’s youth.
It will play at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online. The theater is located at 300 West Waterfront Dr. in the Waterfront shopping complex in Homestead (map), across the Monongahela River from Greenfield, Squirrel Hill, and the rest of Pittsburgh.

Bong Joon-ho film Parasite (기생충) continues in Pittsburgh through (at least) November 28.



The acclaimed 2019 Bong Joon-ho film Parasite (기생충), which opened in Pittsburgh on November 1, will continue in Pittsburgh through at least November 28.
Bong Joon Ho brings his singular mastery home to Korea in this pitch-black modern fairytale.

Meet the Park Family: the picture of aspirational wealth. And the Kim Family, rich in street smarts but not much else. Be it chance or fate, these two houses are brought together and the Kims sense a golden opportunity. Masterminded by college-aged Ki-woo, the Kim children expediently install themselves as tutor and art therapist, to the Parks. Soon, a symbiotic relationship forms between the two families. The Kims provide “indispensable” luxury services while the Parks obliviously bankroll their entire household. When a parasitic interloper threatens the Kims’ newfound comfort, a savage, underhanded battle for dominance breaks out, threatening to destroy the fragile ecosystem between the Kims and the Parks. By turns darkly hilarious and heart-wrenching, PARASITE showcases a modern master at the top of his game.
Parasite won the Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. It continues locally at the Manor Theater in Squirrel Hill through the 28th and the AMC Loews Waterfront through the 25th, plus three other local theaters through the 20th. Tickets are available online.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

"Kitsuke: The Art Of Kimono," December 4 2 at Pitt.


"Vivid kimono" by Raita Futo (Creative Commons).

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Evan Mason and his workshop "Kitsuke: The Art Of Kimono" on December 4 December 2.
Through this interactive workshop, learn about the intricate art of dressing in kimono with expert and Pitt alumnus Evan Mason. The workshop will begin with a lecture on the culture and history of the kimono in Japan followed by a demonstration of kitsuke and an opportunity for participants to dress in yukata and try out their new skills!
It runs from 5:30 to 6:30 pm 4:00 to 5:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map).

Work continues on Oishii Donburi in Lawrenceville.



Work continues on Oishii Donburi in Lawrenceville. It is coming soon to 5227 Butler St. (map) from the team behind Oakland's Oishii Bento. The company, founded in 2017, purchased the former Design Island and Artisan Harvest spot in May 2018.


Via Margittai Architects.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Try It Out!: Kumihimo Weaving, November 22 at Carnegie Library Woods Run.


by sayo ts (Creative Commons)

The Woods Run branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will host a kumihimo weaving workshop on November 22.
Join library staff each month for a drop-in opportunity to try out a new skill. From hand sewing to stop-motion animation, and from beat-making to podcasting, everyone will find something new to love! During each pop-up workshop, you will be able to discover, explore, and create. Library staff will be on hand to direct you to more learning materials if your interest has been piqued!

This program occurs on the fourth Friday of every month. This month we will be focusing on Kumihimo weaving. This program is for adults only.
It runs from 12:00 to 1:00 pm and the Woods Run branch is located at 1201 Woods Run Ave. (map).

Thursday, November 14, 2019



Hal B. Klein of Pittsburgh Magazine profiles KIIN Lao & Thai Eatery, which opened in Squirrel Hill this month.
I stopped by for lunch this week and, if the Nareedokmais follow through with their vision, I think that Pittsburgh is in for a real treat, one that has the potential to offer diners a culinary experience heretofore not available in the city.

“We don’t want to hold anything back. If you eat here, it should taste as it does in Laos. That is my challenge,” says Nareedokmai.

"K-Pop Fandom in Pittsburgh," November 21 at Pitt.



The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host a panel discussion on November 21 titled "K-Pop Fandom in Pittsburgh."
The deeply devoted fans play a critical role in the K-Pop global phenomenon. They support bands through concert tickets and merchandise, streaming videos, memorizing dances and gathering at conventions. K-Pop Fandom is alive and well right here in Pittsburgh. Join us for a moderated panel discussion with organizations dedicated to K-Pop in our neighborhood.
It will feature Elise Antel of the Pittsburgh Japanese Cultural Society and Tekko, Carmen Kuo of Pitt FRESA, and Tommy J. Yoo of the 412 K Town Facebook Page. It starts at 5:00 pm in 229 Barco Law Building (map).

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Bong Joon-ho film Parasite (기생충) continues in Pittsburgh through (at least) November 21.



The acclaimed 2019 Bong Joon-ho film Parasite (기생충), which opened in Pittsburgh on November 1, will continue in Pittsburgh through at least November 21.
Bong Joon Ho brings his singular mastery home to Korea in this pitch-black modern fairytale.

Meet the Park Family: the picture of aspirational wealth. And the Kim Family, rich in street smarts but not much else. Be it chance or fate, these two houses are brought together and the Kims sense a golden opportunity. Masterminded by college-aged Ki-woo, the Kim children expediently install themselves as tutor and art therapist, to the Parks. Soon, a symbiotic relationship forms between the two families. The Kims provide “indispensable” luxury services while the Parks obliviously bankroll their entire household. When a parasitic interloper threatens the Kims’ newfound comfort, a savage, underhanded battle for dominance breaks out, threatening to destroy the fragile ecosystem between the Kims and the Parks. By turns darkly hilarious and heart-wrenching, PARASITE showcases a modern master at the top of his game.
Parasite won the Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. It continues locally at the Manor Theater in Squirrel Hill through the 21st, and the Hollywood Theater, AMC Loews Waterfront, Waterworks Cinemas, and Cinemark theater at Pittsburgh Mills through the 20th. Tickets are available online.

2018 Chinese film An Elephant Sitting Still (大象席地而坐) in Pittsburgh, November 17.



The 2018 Chinese film An Elephant Sitting Still (大象席地而坐) will play in Pittsburgh on November 17 as part of this year's Three Rivers Film Festival. The film's official site provides a synopsis:
Under the gloomy sky of a small town in northern China, different protagonists’ lives are intertwined in this furious tale of nihilistic rage. While protecting his friend from a dangerous school bully, 16-year-old WEI Bu pushes the tormentor down a staircase. WEI escapes the scene and later learns that the bully is hospitalized and gravely injured. WEI’s neighbor, the 60-year-old WANG Jin, is estranged from his family and, with nothing to lose, decides to join him. Later the pair is joined by HUANG Ling, WEI’s classmate. She is bedeviled by a destructive affair with a married school official. Together, this unlikely and desperate trio, decide their only hope is to flee as the bully’s gangster brother, enraged parents, and vindictive school authorities all go on a cold-blooded hunt for WEI across town. As WEI threads his way through the urban wilderness, he begins to come to terms with his own lost life. In the end, he boards a long-distance bus with HUANG and WANG toward a city in Manchuria, where it is a rumored that a circus elephant is said to be sitting still, seeming oblivious to pain and tribulations of the world at large.
It will play at the Regent Square Theater at 1:00 pm, though tickets are not yet available.

Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫) in Pittsburgh, November 17, 18, and 20.



The 1997 film Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫) will play in and around Pittsburgh on November 17, 18, and 20 as part of this year's GKIDS Studio Ghibli Fest.
From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away, and Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki, comes an epic masterpiece that has dazzled audiences worldwide with its breathtaking imagination, exhilarating battles, and deep humanity.

Inflicted with a deadly curse, the young warrior Ashitaka heads west in search of a cure. There, he stumbles into a bitter conflict between Lady Eboshi, the proud people of Iron Town, and the enigmatic Princess Mononoke, a young girl raised by wolves, who will stop at nothing to prevent the humans from destroying her home and the forest spirits and animal gods who live there.
It will play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, North Hills, Pittsburgh Mills, and Robinson. The shows on November 17 and 20 are in Japanese with English subtitles and the November 18 shows are dubbed in English. Tickets are available online.

2016 Taiwanese documentary Small Talk (日常對話) at City of Asylum, November 20.



The 2016 Taiwanese documentary film Small Talk will play in Pittsburgh on November 20, presented by ReelQ.
Anu is a tomboy. Married off at a young age—as was customary in Taiwan in the 1970s—and had two children, Anu soon divorced her violent husband and raised her daughters alone. Since then her only romantic relationships have been with women whom, like her, earn a living as professional mourners at funerals.

It’s considered taboo in Taiwanese culture to question a mother’s love, but that’s exactly the topic of her daughter, Hui-chen Huang’s intimate portrait. Mother and daughter set off on a journey together into the past, during which Hui-chen confronts Anu with questions that have tormented Hui-chen for many years.

In a series of long shots the two women discuss loneliness, trust, and abuse, yet most of these discussions end in painful silence. Shifting focus in order to plumb the depths of their relationship, Hui-chen brings viewers along on her desperate attempts to understand her mother.
It plays from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Alphabet City Word Cellar on the North Side (map), and tickets are now available online.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Chinese-language historical tour of Carnegie Library in Oakland / 将提供卡内基图书馆的中文导游, November 16, December 14, January 11.


via @CarnegieLibraryOfPittsburgh.


The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will host Chinese-language historical tours of its Oakland (main) branch on November 14, December 14, and January 11.
Join our Library docents as we take you on a guided tour through Andrew Carnegie’s Main Library. You’ll get a look at the resources, incredible art and architecture that created this historic landmark, as well as how the building’s interior has changed over time.

欢迎您参加卡内基公共图书馆奥克兰馆的中文讲解导览。在导览中,我们将带您深入了解图书馆馆内的资源,欣赏图书馆的建筑艺术,一起探索卡内基图书馆与匹兹堡市的历史与变迁。

New Chinese movie Better Days (少年的你) in Pittsburgh, from November 15.



The new Chinese movie Better Days (少年的你) will open in Pittsburgh on November 15. From the distributor:
From the award-winning team of Soul Mate, comes a new Chinese drama movie by Derek Kwok-Cheung Tsang, starring Jackson Yee and Zhou Dongyu.

When it is time for the Chinese gaokao, a two-day national college entrance exam, the entire country comes to a standstill. For nearly ten million high school students, this exam not only determines where and if they get to study but the fates of their entire families as well. Like so many others, Nian has been single-mindedly preparing for the exam, cutting everything else out of her life. When she becomes the target of relentless bullying, fate brings her together with small-time criminal Bei and the two form a strong friendship. Before they can completely retreat into a world of their own, the two are dragged in the middle of a murder case of a teenage girl where they are the prime suspects. In this dramatic thriller, Derek Kwok-Cheung Tsang paints a bleak picture of an oppressive society, in the guise of a gripping fairy-tale love story, exposing the dark world of bullying and societal pressures of achievement facing today’s youth.
It will play at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online. The theater is located at 300 West Waterfront Dr. in the Waterfront shopping complex in Homestead (map), across the Monongahela River from Greenfield, Squirrel Hill, and the rest of Pittsburgh.

Yummyholic's Jasmine Cho on Food Network's Christmas Cookie Challenge.



Jasmine Cho of Squirrel Hill (and Yummyholic) will appear on the Food Network's Christmas Cookie Challenge on November 18, the Pittsburgh Tribune Review writes.

"Storytime: Japanese and English" at Carnegie Library in East Liberty, November 19.


via archdaily.org

The next installment of the monthly program "Storytime: Japanese and English" will take place on November 19 at the Carnegie Library in East Liberty.
Celebrate our city’s diverse culture as we explore new words through songs, action rhymes and stories in both English and Japanese for children and their parents or caregivers. For children age 2 – 5 and their parents or caregivers.
It runs from 11:00 to 11:30 am. The library is located at 130 S. Whitfield St. (map).

Monday, November 11, 2019

Bong Joon-ho film Parasite (기생충) continues in Squirrel Hill through (at least) November 14.



The acclaimed 2019 Bong Joon-ho film Parasite (기생충), which opened in Pittsburgh on November 1 and plays at various locations through (at least) November 13, will stay at the Manor Theater in Squirrel Hill through at least the 14th.
Bong Joon Ho brings his singular mastery home to Korea in this pitch-black modern fairytale.

Meet the Park Family: the picture of aspirational wealth. And the Kim Family, rich in street smarts but not much else. Be it chance or fate, these two houses are brought together and the Kims sense a golden opportunity. Masterminded by college-aged Ki-woo, the Kim children expediently install themselves as tutor and art therapist, to the Parks. Soon, a symbiotic relationship forms between the two families. The Kims provide “indispensable” luxury services while the Parks obliviously bankroll their entire household. When a parasitic interloper threatens the Kims’ newfound comfort, a savage, underhanded battle for dominance breaks out, threatening to destroy the fragile ecosystem between the Kims and the Parks. By turns darkly hilarious and heart-wrenching, PARASITE showcases a modern master at the top of his game.
Parasite won the Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. It continues at the AMC Loews Waterfront and through (at least) November 13, opens at the Waterworks Cinema and the AMC in Mt. Lebanon from November 7, and stays at the Manor Theater in Squirrel Hill through November 14; are available online.

Mongolian heavy metal band The Hu in Pittsburgh, November 18.



Mongolian heavy metal band The Hu will play at Mr. Smalls on November 18. From the band's official site:
The HU is a band from Mongolia that blends heavy metal and traditional Mongolian throat singing. Their first two videos (“Yuve Yuve Yu” and “Wolf Totem”) immediately went viral garnering the band over 18 million views. The explosive reaction to The HU resulted in a number of features about the band in international media such as NPR, ET India Times, Playboy Mexico, Jack Canal+Fr, Hong Kong 01, DW News Germany and others.

The band’s name The HU, is the Mongolian root word for human being. They call their style “Hunnu Rock”…inspired by the Hunnu, an ancient Mongolian empire, known as The Huns in western culture. Some of the band’s lyrics include old Mongolian war cries and poetry.

Vietnamese movie The Third Wife at Northland Public Library, December 11.



The Northland Public Library will show the 2018 Vietnamese film The Third Wife on December 11th as next month's installment of its Indie/Foreign Film Series.
May is a 14 year old girl who has just become the third wife of a wealthy landowner. She tries to navigate the hierarchal structure of the family dynamics, finding that the only way to get a head or get some power is to give birth to a son. When she becomes pregnant, things change. May starts to feel some attraction to the second wife, Xuan. On the other hand Xuan is having an affair with the first wife’s son. While May observes the unfolding tragedy of all the forbidden loves and its possible consequences, she must make a choice to either carry on in silence or forge a path towards personal freedom. This movie has minimal dialogue but it is beautifully shot with all the lush scenery. The movie takes place in the late 19th century, and is based upon family stories of the director. So come join us.
The movie will play from 1:30 pm and the library is located off of McKnight Road and Rt. 19 in McCandless Township (map). The film is free and open to the public.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

2019 Japanese film We are Little Zombies (ウィーアーリトルゾンビーズ) in Pittsburgh, November 13, 17, and 21.



The 2019 Japanese film We are Little Zombies (ウィーアーリトルゾンビーズ) will play in Pittsburgh on November 13 and 17 as part of the 2019 Three Rivers Film Festival. A Variety review writes of it:
No pulsating, psychedelic, pop-punk phantasmagoria ought to be as moving and smart as “We Are Little Zombies.” But Makoto Nagahisa’s explosively ingenious and energetic debut (imagine it as the spiritual offspring of Richard Lester and a Harajuku Girl) holds the high score for visual and narrative invention, as well as boasting [insert gigantic-beating-heart GIF] and braaaains, too. The gonzo adventures of four poker-faced Japanese 13-year-olds who bond over their mutual lack of emotion following sudden orphanhood, it reimagines the old “stages of grief” thing as a progression through 13 erratic levels of a video game, complete with mini-games and side quests. And if its manic, 8-bit aesthetic seems hyperactively inappropriate for such a somber scenario — like it does grief wrong — that too, can be interpreted as a generous insight into the mourning process: Who among us, upon being bereaved, has ever believed they’re doing grief right?
It will play at the Regent Square Theater on November 13, 17, and 21 and tickets are now available online.

2019 Korean Music Festival, November 16 at University of Pittsburgh.



The 2019 Korean Music Festival will be held on November 16 in Oakland. Presented by the Korean Association of Greater Pittsburgh and the Korean Heritage Room, it will begin at 7:00 pm in the Frick Fine Arts Auditorium on the University of Pittsburgh's campus (map). Tickets are $10 for adults, free for students and children, and half-price for guests dressed in hanbok. For more information, please contact 310-909-3280.

Friday, November 8, 2019

2013 film Kaili Blues at Maridon Museum, November 15.



The 2013 film Kaili Blues will play at Butler's Maridon Museum on November 15 as part of its Chinese Film Series. An AV Club review provides an introduction:
Bi Gan’s debut feature Kaili Blues ducks and doubles back like a fugitive trying to lose a tail, finding itself in stranger and stranger places. It has a pencil sketch of a plot, with the makings of a subtropical noir: Chen Sheng (Chen Yongzhong, the director’s uncle), a reformed gangster who now owns a small-town medical clinic in China’s misty Guizhou province, sets off to adopt his preteen nephew after hearing that his estranged half-brother, Crazy Face (Xie Lixun), might sell the boy off. Although the movie is peppered with references to gangland killings and has its share of pool halls and lowlifes in flip-flops, no one could mistake it for a crime drama. Rather, Bi has grabbed hold of the searching, remorseful component of noir and let the rest else slip away, creating a ruminative dream state on a sub-shoestring budget.
The movie starts at 6:00 pm and is paired by an introduction from Dr. William Covey of Slippery Rock University. The movie is free and open to the public, though reservations are required and can be made at 724-282-0123. The Maridon, an Asian art museum, is located at 322 North McKean St. in downtown Butler (map), roughly 40 miles north of Pittsburgh.

Presentations on legal education, studying abroad in China, November 14 at Pitt.



The University of Pittsburgh's Institute of International Studies in Education will present talks by Dr. Weixhong Cai and Dr. Bao Fang on November 14 as part of its symposium series. Cai will present "Legal education of college students in China" and Fang will present "Trends in international higher education: Students studying abroad in China." The symposium runs from 12:30 to 1:30 pm in 4138 Posvar Hall (map).

Breath Of The Wok - Dim Sum Brunch By Roger Li, December 8.



Chef Roger Li will host the second pop-up event in his series on dim sum and Cantonese dishes on December 8, titled "Breath Of The Wok - Dim Sum Brunch."
Chapter 二 ......

Many may mistake Roger Li's cultural background because of his culinary legacy with Pittsburgh staples like Umami, Ki Ramen (both Japanese concepts), Ki Pollo (Korean fried chicken) and some may even remember the legend of Tamari from days of old. But when you taste Roger's traditional Cantonese cooking, there's no mistaking his Hong Kong roots!

We're excited to bring you the second chapter of our pop up series by Roger Li focusing on Cantonese cooking. The second chapter continues at Ki Ramen, one of Li's well known restaurants FEATURING A NEW UPDATED MENU!

After a massively successful first event, this Cantonese brunch pop up will feature a variety of dim sum along with cantonese bbq, traditional rice dishes, and pastries.. each pop up will focus on different styles and techniques leading up to his journey of opening his brick and mortar Cantonese concept.

Stay tuned...
It will take place at Li's Ki Ramen in Lawrenceville (map) from 12 noon to 4:00 pm.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Duolingo hiring bilingual Curriculum Designer for English (for Chinese-speaking learners).

Pittsburgh-based Duolingo is hiring a Curriculum Designer for English (for Chinese-speaking learners).
Help improve how millions of people in China learn English on Duolingo.

We are looking for a talented expert in teaching English to native speakers of Mandarin Chinese. If you have strong skills in curriculum design, can build effective and engaging course content, and understand the unique challenges of digital education, this job is for you! You will join our team of course designers and help us deliver the best language education in the world. Join Duolingo to feel empowered as an educator, affecting how millions of people learn.

This is an open rank position. We will consider candidates from recent MA or PhD graduates to more senior candidates with years of work experience. The job rank will be adjusted accordingly. This role is based in Pittsburgh, PA.

2019 Chinese documentary Our Time Machine (时光机) in Pittsburgh, November 11 and 16.



The Chinese documentary Our Time Machine (时光机) will play in Pittsburgh on November 11 and 16 as part of the Three Rivers Film Festival.
When artist Maleonn realizes that his father suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, he creates “Papa’s Time Machine”–a magical, autobiographical stage performance featuring life-size mechanical puppets. Through the production of this play, the two men confront their mortality before time runs out and memories are lost forever.
It plays at the Harris Theater at 6:00 pm on November 11 and at 4:00 pm on November 16, and tickets are now available online.

"Animal Stories: Furukawa Hideo and the Narration of Disaster," November 14 at Pitt.



The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Doug Slaymaker and his talk "Animal Stories: Furukawa Hideo and the Narration of Disaster" on November 14.
A surprising number of animals appear in the fictional representations of the March 11, 2011 disasters in Japan. Why?

My hunch is that the portrayal of animal interiorities and the portrayal of disaster are linked by narrative challenges and techniques: they are both "impossible." Furukawa Hideo has been writing through animals for some time, and with added poignancy after the Tohoku disasters. This presentation focuses on Furukawa's exploration of the fictional possibilities, and limits, of portraying animal interiorities in fiction.
It runs from 5:00 to 6:30 pm in the Alcoa Room of the Barco Law Building (map).

KIIN Thai & Lao Eatery to open on Friday in Squirrel Hill.



KIIN Thai & Lao Eatery will open in Squirrel Hill on Friday, according to its Facebook page. It is a new restaurant and new menu in the former location of Bangkok Balcony at 5846 Forbes Ave. (map).
🗓️ Mark your calendars... We are officially opening our doors to the public this FRIDAY! Stop in & join the #LaoFoodMovement by experiencing Lao & Thai cuisine for the FIRST time in the 'Burgh!

Special thanks to Chef Seng for helping us create this unique, authentic, & DELICIOUS new menu! Lao Food Movement


Sunday - Thursday: 11am-10pm
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