Spice Island Tea House holding its final take-out offer through 3 pm today, June 25.

Spice Island Tea House, the longtime Oakland restaurant that closed its doors on September 30, will hold its final take-out event through 3:00 pm today, June 25. The restaurant has been holding occasional pop-up events since the fall. Supplies and quantities are limited, but orders may be placed via their Squarespace site.

Noodles of Burma Pop-Up Event, from Spice Island Tea House team, October 20-21.

The team behind Spice Island Tea House in Oakland is putting on a Noodles of Burma Pop-Up Event on October 20 and 21.

[W]e hope your love of noodles remain strong to join us on Oct 20 and 21! So save the dates! This is a dine-in only event, so no take-out will be available. No reservations. No BYOB. No rice. Just noodles.

Spice Island Tea House was a long-standing restaurant in Oakland that closed on September 30.  The storefront is located at 253 Atwood St. (map).

Spice Island Tea House closing September 30; last day of dine-in service September 28.

Spice Island Tea House in Oakland announced today it will close on September 30, with the last day of dine-in service on September 28.

On a more bittersweet note, we will be ending our 28-year run as Spice Island Tea House this week. Our last day of Dine-in Service will be Thursday, Sept 28, and last day for Take-Out Service will be Saturday, Sept 30. We are grateful to have had the pleasure of serving you throughout the years. When we first opened in 1995, never in our wildest dreams did we think we would go on this long. Admittedly, the last few years have been the hardest we’ve ever faced. And thanks to you, our customers, for the enduring support that have kept us going for as long as we have. But now is the time to ride this ship into the sunset. Although we will no longer be operating as Spice Island, we are exploring the possibility of other culinary endeavors through a series of Pop-ups and events. So stay tuned and follow us on Instagram and Facebook for upcoming events! Thank you, Spicefans! It has been a lovely venture!

The restaurant is located at 253 Atwood St. (map).

New Thai place "Street Noodles" now open in the South Side.

A new Thai restaurant, Street Noodles, is now open on the South Side after being permitted to open last month by the county health department. It is located at 1703 E. Carson St. (map), in the former location of Dancing Crab TOO, and is run by the Burmese couple behind the Golden Land Asian Cuisine that existed in Allison Park from 2017 until recently.

Oakland's Spice Island Tea House to reopen for pick-up, from May 8.

After temporarily closing on March 21, Oakland's Spice Island Tea House will reopen for pick-up orders on May 8.

After a month’s hiatus we are offering take-outs again except this time it’s online only! It’ll be a limited hours and menu items so if you don’t see your favorite dish, worry not! We will be adding items as we get back into the groove in this crazy new world. Check out what we have on the website.

Orders can be placed online via their website.
Spice Island Tea House is located at 253 Atwood St. in Oakland (map).

One day left for fundraising for new Screenshot: Asia film festival and media series at University of Pittsburgh from September 2020.

A festival organizer writes with an update on fundraising for the new Asian film festival and media series hosted by the University of Pittsburgh from September 2020:

I wanted to update you on the progress we are making on bringing a new and improved Asian Film Festival to Pittsburgh.

I'm not sure how much you have heard about this, but Pitt will now host the festival each September (now called Screenshot: Asia), which means that the event will have much more student and faculty participation in addition to strong support from the Pittsburgh community. Screenshot Asia will be the umbrella organization for our own Japan Documentary Film Award, and they will support year-round Asian film programming (including showing silent samurai films with live musical performances like the benshi I brought last year).
We have been raising money for the Film Festival in order to prove to Pitt that we have broad community interest. Would you consider making a donation to support us?

A few reasons to support us:

• Pitt has the strongest film studies program in the city (actually a strong nation-wide reputation), and we are well positioned to make this an amazing event for the university, for Asian communities living in Pittsburgh, and for anyone who loves Asian cinema.
• Contributions start at five dollars. Any level of support would be appreciated!
• One of our students is featured in our promotional film (but you'll have to watch the video to find out who!)

We have just one more day until the campaign ends. We are making excellent progress at nearly 80% of our goal. Please take a look and consider supporting us. Many thanks!

You can click here to go directly to the EngagePitt campaign (or copy and paste the address here: https://engage.pitt.edu/project/16914).

Fundraising closes at 11:59 pm on December 3.

Screenshot: Asia was announced in September 2019. It will fill---aiming to fill to excess---a void left after Silk Screen closed in 2018 due to persistent sexual harassment by its CEO, and after Pittsburgh Filmmakers shuttered its theaters and programming in November.

Noble Asian Grocery opens on Saw Mill Run Blvd.

via @LiteracyPittsburgh

Noble Asian Grocery is among the new food-related establishments permitted to open in February by the Allegheny County Health Department. It is run by Burmese immigrant Ja Doi and is located at 2830 Saw Mill Run Blvd. in Whitehall (map). Writes Literacy Pittsburgh of its former student:

Ja Doi has lived in Pittsburgh for five years, and opening a small grocery store has been her goal for four of those years! We are so proud of her for working so hard to achieve her dream while raising her two young children.

Pittsburgh's 311 response line can now take calls in Chinese, Vietnamese, Burmese, and 13 other languages.

Pittsburgh's 311 response line can now take calls in Chinese, Vietnamese, Burmese, and 12 other languages in addition to English as part of the city's Language Access Plan, according to a press release by the Mayor's office on Monday.

The 311 Response Center is the City of Pittsburgh Non-Emergency call center that allows residents and non-residents to report varying neighborhood problems (potholes, traffic problems, graffiti, litter abandoned buildings and cars, etc.) and to provide city information to residents (City office contact information, hours, upcoming events or meetings, volunteer opportunities, etc.).

This plan is a transformational step to ensuring all Pittsburgh residents have access to the wealth of information and opportunities our city has to offer. With the increase in diversity in our city, being able to assist all residents and to provide access to all resources is a top priority.

"Hawker Stand" temporary restaurant coming to Oakland, bringing Southeast Asian street food.

Spice Island Tea House will be taking a brief hiatus, says its Facebook page, and will be replaced by "Hawker Stand,"

a temporary restaurant featuring classic street foods of South East Asia.

We will serve tasty snacks and curries popularized by Asian food stalls, some of which you may recognize from the original Spice Island Tea House menu. We will post a working menu up as soon as possible. The menu will be posted on www.facebook.com/hawkerstand.

Spice Island Tea House will return in late 2014 or early 2015.

After nearly 20 years, 6 days a week, we think that Spice Island Tea House deserves an extended vacation. But we are excited about exploring this new territory, and hope that you will be too.

The spot is located at 253 Atwood Street in Oakland (map).

CineFestAsia in Erie, May 9 and 10.

The Erie Asian Pacific American Association and the Film Society of North Western Pennsylvania will present CineFestAsia on May 9 and 10 at the Erie Art Museum (map). Friday's opening reception is free and is followed by the world premiere of the Korean documentary Entering the Second Half (잘 살거야) and a discussion with the filmmaker, Heyjin Jun. The Korean title translates to "I Will Live Well" and is

a short documentary on victims of leprosy who have been exiled from society for decades but came to dream of their new lives and talked about hope for the future at their ages of 70s since they learned reading, writing, singing, computer and performing on the stage for the first time of their lives. They are scared but try to step forward towards the society which once abandoned them.

(The name of the South Korean island is Sorok-do, and a Google search will lead to more on the topic.)

Singapore's Ilo Ilo will also run on the 9th, while Transit, The Lady, and Bhaag Milka Bhaag will play on the 10th. Tickets are $5 each. Times and trailers are available by visiting the Erie APAA website and clicking CineFestAsia.