"Japanese Language Testing Overview" at Pitt, September 17.

The Asian Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh and the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania will present "Japanese Language Testing Overview" at Pitt on Thursday, September 17. From today's Asian Studies Center newsletter on the session, which will provide an overview of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test [JLPT]:

LEARN ABOUT THE JLPT here and overseas

by JASP Executive Director Amy Boots

OBSERVE AN ORAL PROFICIENCY INTERVIEW (OPI) conducted by

Pitt Instructor Sachiko Takabatake Howard

It begins at 4:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map).

K-pop star Hyomin throws out first pitch in Pittsburgh before today's game.

via @hyominn.

This afternoon, Hyomin (효민) of the K-pop group T-ara threw out the first pitch before the Pirates played the Milwaukee Brewers. Hyomin announced this on her Instagram back on August 31. Friend and Pirates rookie Jung-ho Kang caught it.


via 스포츠조선.

"Cooking and Culture: Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival" class in Fox Chapel, October 1.

Fox Chapel Area Adult Education will host a "Cooking and Culture: Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival" class on October 1.

Mid-Autumn Festival is the Chinese celebration of a successful harvest. Moon cakes and pomelos are enjoyed under the light of the full moon. Join us as we bake and eat moon cakes while learning Chinese phrases and discussing the history, traditions, and stories of this ancient Chinese holiday.
Open to ages 13 and above when accompanied by an adult.

The cost is $15 for Fox Chapel residents and $20 for non-residents, plus a $5 materials fee. The class is held at Fox Chapel Area High School at 611 Field Club Rd. (map), and will run from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Class and registration information is available at the Fox Chapel Area Adult Education website.

Anthem of the Heart (心が叫びたがってるんだ。) at Hollywood Theater, November 4.

The Hollywood Theater in Dormont announced today it will show the 2015 Japanese animated movie Anthem of the Heart (心が叫びたがってるんだ。) on November 4. The synopsis, from the movie's official site:

Jun Naruse is a girl who carries the guilt of breaking up her family with the words she carelessly uttered when she was young…

Suddenly, a mysterious “Egg Fairy” appears in front of Jun and casts a curse on her so that she can never hurt anybody with her words. Jun’s ability to speak is sealed away: every time she tries, she feels a pain in her stomach. Traumatized by this experience, Jun hides her feelings deep inside of her heart, turning to e-mail messages on her mobile phone as her sole means of communication.

Jun is now a second year high school student. One day, her homeroom teacher appoints Jun and three other students as members of the Regional Friendship Exchange Executive Committee. As it turns out, the appointed group is a rather unexpected mix of students. Other than Jun, the members of the Committee are Takumi Sakagami, the burn-out who never speaks his true intentions; Daiki Tasaki, the former baseball team ace who failed his run at the Championships due to an injury; and Natsuki Nito, the cheerleader and honor student who has some concerns about her love life. They all suffer from emotional trauma just like Jun.

The movie will be released in Japan on September 19. Tickets are now available online for the 7:30 pm show. The theater is located at 1449 Potomac Ave. in Dormont (map), and is accessible by Pittsburgh's subway/LRT at a block south of Potomac Station.

"From Underground to Independent: Social and Political Dimensions of Filmmaking in Today’s China" at Pitt, September 15.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host the next event in the "Asia on Screen" series, "From Underground to Independent: Social and Political Dimensions of Filmmaking in Today’s China" on Tuesday, September 15. The presenter is Paul Pickowicz, Distinguished Professor of History and Chinese Studies, University of California, San Diego, who edited a 2006 book titled From Underground to Independent. The talk runs from 3:00 to 5:00 pm in the University Club (map), Ballroom B, and is free and open to the public.

설레임 밀크 쉐이크 in Pittsburgh.

Spotted 설레임 밀크 쉐이크 recently at Many More Asian Market, the first time I'd seen these milkshakes in a bag in Pittsburgh. (They taste pretty good, and they work well on headaches.)

Pittsburgh Taiko beginner workshop, September 19.

The Pittsburgh Taiko Fall 2015 Beginners' Workshop is scheduled for Saturday, September 19 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm.

Interested in learning how to play taiko? Come participate in our Beginners Workshops!

Over the course of 2 hours, you will learn basic movements and techniques used to play taiko.

Drumsticks will be provided, as will earplugs (although you’re welcome to bring your own if you have some).

The introduction to Japanese drumming (taiko), is held at the Winchester Thurston City Campus Lower School on Morewood Ave. in Shadyside (map). Registration is free and can be done online.

"Storytime: Chinese and English" at Carnegie Library in Squirrel Hill, September 14; "Let's Learn Chinese" for children every Thursday in Oakland.

The Carnegie Library in Squirrel Hill will host "Storytime: Chinese and English" on Monday, September 14.

Celebrate the city's diverse culture as we explore new words through songs, action rhymes and stories in both English and Chinese. For children birth--5 years and their parents or caregivers.

The event runs from 1:30 to 2:00 pm. The library is located at 5801 Forbes Ave. (map) and is accessible by buses 61A, 61B, 61C, 61D, 64, and 74.

The Carnegie Library in Oakland hosts "Kasper Hwa presents Let's learn Chinese" every Thursday evening from 6:30 to 7:00 pm, with the next meeting on September 10.

Experience Chinese language and culture through books, storytelling, songs, games and more!

The programs are led by Kasper Hwa, who earned a Master's of Education from Pitt this spring. They are held in the Children's Room, and the library is located at 4400 Forbes Ave. (map), accessible by over a dozen different buses that service Oakland.

T-ara's Hyomin practicing for PNC Park first pitch.

Hyomin, of K-pop group T-ara, has been practicing her windup ahead of throwing out the first pitch in Pittsburgh on Sunday, September 13. Last week she warmed up with Sang-Woo Cho of the Nexen Heroes, pictured above. She's leaving from Incheon International Airport in the 11th, the papers say.

It's not the first time she's thrown a first pitch. In 2011, she had a decent delivery at an LG Twins game:

"Cultures of China" in Oakland, September 8.

The Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall will host "Cultures of China" tonight, September 8. The Post-Gazette has a profile today:

The feast of traditional arts includes Peking opera, a stylized form of Chinese theater from the 18th Century that incorporates dance, singing, music, mime and acrobatics, performed by artists Baoliang Li and Huiqing Yuan. Chinese folk dances will be performed by the Jinan singing and dancing troupe, and traditional Chinese instruments will be played by Shandong Qishu with a solo by Zhongxian Yao.

. . .

The artists chosen for the Cultures of China gala will stop in five cities this year, having arrived from Chicago, the kickoff city. After their Pittsburgh performance they will go on to Boston, Houston and New York.

In the six years the Overseas Affairs Office of the State Council has chosen artists, this year is the first time the group has performed in Pittsburgh.

The event is a precursor to the first Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival, scheduled for September 19 in Oakland. Tuesday's performance starts at 7:00 pm at the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall at 4141 Fifth Ave. (map). Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students, and $5 for children.