Two Sisters Vietnamese Kitchen in East Liberty closes.

Two Sisters Vietnamese Kitchen has closed, the owners announced on Instagram on December 31.

To all of our loyal customers we would like to thank you for another great year and would like to wish you all a happy new year! We absolutely love the city of Pittsburgh and all the overwhelming support we have received over the past four years! It has been our honor to serve each and every one of you and watch you all enjoy the traditional Vietnamese cuisine we have offered. With that being said it is now time for for our family to start a new chapter and move locations to be closer to our family and loved ones! Again, we cannot thank each and every one of you enough and realize this is a bittersweet moment for Two Sisters.

With Love ♥️
Two Sisters Family

The restaurant opened in February 2019 at 216 N. Highland Ave.

Viet Nom Nom now open in Squirrel Hill.

Viet Nom Nom, a Vietnamese quick service restaurant, is now open in Squirrel Hill. The online menu is currently incomplete, but a display on the window details the process of building a bowl: choose a carb, choose a protein, and choose some veggies.

is located at 1711 Murray Ave. in Squirrel Hill (map), the spot most recently occupied by Nu Jewish Bistro. Signage for it first went up in November.

2022 film Shin Ultraman (シン・ウルトラマン) playing in Pittsburgh, January 11 and 12.

The 2022 Japanese superhero and kaiju film Shin Ultraman (シン・ウルトラマン) will play in Pittsburgh on January 11 and 12. From the distributor:

There’s never a dull day on Japan's newly established SSSP kaiju defense taskforce, led by Kimio Tamura, played by DRIVE MY CAR’s Hidetoshi Nishijima. After a particularly challenging encounter, a giant silver robot descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman, this robot’s identity and purpose are a mystery. SHIN ULTRAMAN is a delightful reimagining of one of Japan’s classic superheroes, full of cosmic twists, campy villains, and giants of all species. Added value includes an introduction from the film’s director, Shinji Higuchi.

It is scheduled to play locally at the Cinemark theaters in Monaca, Monroeville, North Hills, and Robinson, and the AMC Loews Waterfront and AMC South Hills, though more locations may be announced later. Tickets are available online: the January 11 screenings are in Japanese with English subtitles, and the January 12 screenings are dubbed in English.

2013 film Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? (明天记得爱上我 明天記得愛上我) in Pittsburgh, February 22.

Reel Q Stories will present the 2013 Hong Kong film Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? (明天记得爱上我 明天記得愛上我) on February 22 at the City of Asylum.

Reel Stories is a free monthly film series dedicated to showcasing international queer cinema presented in partnership with Reel Q, Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ+ Film Festival. Starting in 1985, Reel Q’s mission is to increase the availability and accessibility of queer film in Pittsburgh and its surrounding region, highlighting the diverse experiences of our worldwide community. Reel Q is one of the oldest LGBTQ+ film festivals in the world.

February’s screening presents Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?, a 2013 romantic comedy directed by Arvin Chen. The film follows introverted optometrist Weichung who begins to question his marriage after learning his wife wants to have another baby. Weichung soon bumps into his old friend Stephen, who, though also married, lives the unconstrained life of a young gay bachelor. When Stephen teases Weichung for his newly straight-laced lifestyle, dormant emotions stir in Weichung, setting him off on a quest for true romance and desire.

The event starts at 7:00 pm and is free, both in person and online, though tickets are required. City of Asylum's Alphabet City is located at 40 W. North Ave. on the North Side (map).

Squirrel Hill's Tan Lac Vien to open new restaurant on Forbes Ave.

Tan Lac Vien, a Vietnamese restaurant in Squirrel Hill, will open a new restaurant at 5846 Forbes Ave. (map), the former location of Panda Supermarket before that grocery store moved down the street in 2021. Signage just went up for its liquor license, so there is no timetable on when the restaurant might open.

Bringing Sound to Silence with AppalAsia, February 13 at City of Asylum's Alphabet City.

City of Asylum will present Bringing Sound to Silence with AppalAsia, a performance by a trio that combines Western and Chinese traditional music, on February 13.

Since the founding of AppalAsia in 2009, they have followed their passion for artistic collaboration between different cultures and disciplines beyond race, religion, and gender.

In a recent project, the group was asked to develop original compositions for the 1919 silent movie Broken Blossoms. In this performance, the group shares this project with us, playing a selection of original music and some folk/traditional tunes.

Broken Blossoms depicts the story of Cheng Huan, a Chinese immigrant who comes to London to spread the teachings of Buddhism but is quickly disillusioned by the social environment of the city. His path soon crosses with Lucy Burrows, a young woman enduring abuse from her alcoholic prizefighting father. The story of the protagonists’ intersecting lives explores themes of racism, abuse, discrimination of gender and religion, and oppression and violence against minorities. Amid these harsh realities, however, remains the hopeful presence of beauty and love. Despite the passage of a century since the film’s release, its commentary on prejudice and the value of freedom remains poignant reminders to this day.

The performance runs from 7:00 to 8:30 pm, and will take place both online and in person. Tickets are free but registration is required. Alphabet City is located at 40 W. North Ave. on the North Side (map).

"We Learn" Beginner and Intermediate Korean classes resume at Carnegie Library in Oakland, Saturdays from January 7.

via the Republic of Korea's Flickr page.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh branch in Oakland will resume its free "We Learn" Beginner and Intermediate Korean classes Saturdays January 7. The beginner classes run from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm in Classroom A; a summary:

In this beginner-level class, we will use the textbook published by the Korean government for foreigners who learn Korean as a secondary language.

We will start from write/reading Korean characters, 'Hangul', and learning how to organize sentence structures.

The intermediate classes start at 12:00 pm, also in Classroom A.

In this intermediate-level class, we will cover the textbook published by the Korean government for foreigners who learn Korean as a secondary language. We will cover basic Korean grammar and vocabulary, and practice how to speak and write using what we've covered in each lecture.

Registration is required. The Oakland branch of the Carneige Library of Pittsburgh is located at 4400 Forbes Ave. (map), accessible by numerous city bus lines.

Shady Side Academy hiring Middle School Chinese Teacher.

Shady Side Academy Middle School in Fox Chapel is hiring a Chinese teacher.

Shady Side Academy’s Middle School World Languages Department is seeking a sabbatical leave Chinese teacher for the 2023-24 academic year. Responsibilities include teaching four to five sections of Chinese, from 6th to 8th grade in accordance with the Department’s needs. Other duties, such as but not limited to proctoring exams, leading an advisory group, coaching two seasons or the equivalent, or serving on committees, may be assigned as needed by the Academy.

Alash Ensemble Tuvan Throat Singers in Shadyside, February 3.

The Alash Ensemble Tuvan Throat Singers will perform in Pittsburgh again on February 3.

Alash are masters of Tuvan throat singing (xöömei), a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time. What distinguishes this gifted trio from earlier generations of Tuvan throat singers is the subtle infusion of modern influences into their traditional music. One can find complex harmonies, western instruments, and contemporary song forms in Alash’s music, but its overall sound and spirit remain decidedly Tuvan.

The performance will be at First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh in Shadyside (map) from 7:30 pm (doors open at 7). Tickets are available at the door for $30 or for $25 in advance at Jerry's Records in Squirrel Hill or Government Center Records on the North Side. (The ensemble's official site points to an online ticket seller, but the poster says they are no longer using Brown Paper Tickets.)

Pittsburgh Pirates acquire Chinese-American Connor Joe.

The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired Connoe Joe today from the Colorado Rockies. Joe was originally a first-round draft choice of the Pirates in 2015 but was traded to Atlanta two years later, and spent parts of the last three years in the Major Leagues.