Oakland's Oishii Bento, Chick n' Bubbly temporarily close.

Oakland's Oishii Bento and Chick n' Bubbly switched to take-out and delivery orders on March 16 in response to COVID-19, and announced today that they will temporarily close until further notice for the safety of staff and the community.

Sakura in North Park.

via @PghSakuraProject

The Pittsburgh Sakura Project estimates the peak viewing season for some of its cherry blossom trees in North Park is now through April 5. The group typically organizes a hanami viewing festival around this time each spring, and reminds people to practice safe social distancing this year. Here is what the group forecast on the 29th:

CHERRY BLOSSOM VIEWING FORECAST
With two warnings:
1. Keep your healthy social distance from others while enjoying the blossoms
2. The ground is currently very wet and muddy, so wear the right footwear, and plan to use a picnic table if you're going to eat.
The "peak" is rolling, since the various groves (types) of cherry trees reach their peaks at different times. It's already nice, and most trees will be in full blossom between next Sunday (4/5) for about one to two weeks. This may change due to weather.
桜の見頃は4月に入って5日以降と思われます。

Postponed: My Neighbor Totoro with Beer Tasting at The Oaks Theater, originally scheduled for April 9.

The Oaks Theater in Oakmont has postponed its My Neighbor Totoro with Beer Tasting originally scheduled for April 9.

2019 Chinese film The Wild Goose Lake (南方车站的聚会) continues playing on Row House Cinema Online through April 2.

The Row House Cinema in Lawrenceville began an online streaming portal earlier this month to stay open and engaged during this current shutdown. The 2019 Chinese film The Wild Goose Lake (南方车站的聚会), which opened on March 20, will continue online through April 2. The distributor summarizes:

A gang leader on the run seeking redemption . . .
A girl in trouble risking everything to gain her freedom . . .
Both hunted on the hidden shores of The Wild Goose Lake.
They set a deadly gamble for what may be their last day.

Online tickets are available now.

Cancelled: Vietnamese movie Song Lang in Pittsburgh, originally scheduled for April 30.

The 2018 Vietnamese movie Song Lang, scheduled to play in Pittsburgh on April 30, has been cancelled along with all other City of Asylum programming in March and April.

Pittsburgh-based Starkist hiring bilingual Korean-English assistant for position in American Samoa.

Starkist is hiring a bilingual Korean-English administrative assistant to serve as an interpreter and translator in American Samoa.
PURPOSE –

• Provide interpretation and translation for the Deputy Plant General Manager
• Produce summaries of meetings, reports, and correspondence
• Provide miscellaneous support for the Deputy GM
• Provide interpretation for Korean employees at StarKist

Asian Student Alliance Advocacy Summit at Pitt rescheduled for tonight, March 25, online via Zoom.

The Advocacy Summit organized by the Asian Student Alliance at the University of Pittsburgh, scheduled for March 21 and later cancelled, was rescheduled today for tonight at 9:00 pm.

Pitt Asian Student Alliance's mission statement is as follows: "(ASA) exists to further the development of Asian and Asian American identity and interest...We discuss identity and current social issues pertaining to Asians in the United States..." ASA is well known for being a large social organization where people who identify as Asian and Asian American can come to make friends, learn about their culture, and become civically engaged with issues pertaining to the AAPI community.

Postponed: Bon Odori at Open Streets, originally scheduled for May 31.

A Bon Odori event organized by the Japanese Nationality Room and scheduled for May 31 has been postponed.

"Integration Of Culture Into Chinese Language Teaching," March 28 at Pitt (online).

Chinese Dim Sum, by Lezlie (Creative Commons)

The University of Pittsburgh and several Chinese language educators will present an online discussion "Integration Of Culture Into Chinese Language Teaching" on March 28. It runs from 1:00 to 4:00 pm; it's free but advance registration is required.

"Language Standardization and Hougen Resistance in Tohoku, Japan," March 31 at Pitt via Zoom.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Dr. Edwin Everhart and his talk "Language Standardization and Hougen Resistance in Tohoku, Japan" on March 31 via Zoom.

104 years since the Japanese state formally designated a standard spoken language, Edwin Everhart argues that standardization is still an active process. Focusing on language of the Touhoku region, Everhart describes how some language users resist the hegemony of standard language and the discourse that local dialect is obsolescent, ugly, or backward. Drawing on ethnography, interviews, and archives of “language activists” from the last thirty years, he argues that this resistance can be understood in terms of the techniques and metaphors that activists use to legitimize their local language.

The presentation starts at 12:00 and those interested can join the Zoom meeting here.