Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Pittsburgh Pirates re-sign Taiwanese minor league catcher Jin-de Jhang.
via pb+.
Pirates Prospects reports that the Pittsburgh Pirates have re-signed Taiwanese catcher Jin-de Jhang (張進德) to a minor league contract. Jhang, whose signing in 2011 was considered part of a "scouting revolution" by the Post-Gazette, spent last season in AA ball with the Altoona Curve.
The Pirates have never had a Taiwanese player on the major league roster.
Labels:
Pittsburgh,
Sports,
Taiwan
How To: Asia: Chinese Brush Calligraphy, November 1 at Pitt.
The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host a Chinese Brush Calligraphy demonstration as the next installment of its How To: Asia series.
Join us for a demonstration of Chinese brush calligraphy, followed by a chance to make and take home some calligraphy of your own!The event starts at 5:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map). The event is free though space is limited and RSVP is requested to asia at pitt.edu.
Labels:
China,
Events,
Pittsburgh,
Taiwan
Sunday, October 29, 2017
Mother (마더), Okja, and The Host (괴물) at Row House Cinema's Bong Joon-ho film series, November 3 -9.
The Row House Cinema presents its first film series by a Korean filmmaker, with 2009's Mother (마더), the 2017 Netflix release Okja, and 2006's hit The Host (괴물) comprising a Bong Joon-ho film series from November 3 through 9.
A 2010 Roger Ebert review summarizes Mother:
The mother of the title, played by respected South Korean actress Kim Hye-ja, is a force of nature. In a village, she runs a little shop selling herbs, roots and spices. Her sideline is prescribing herbal cures. Her son Do-jun (Weon Bin), in his late 20s, lives at home and they sleep in the same bed. He's a few slices short of a pie. Early in the film, he's saved from death in traffic when his mother races to the rescue.A June 2017 Atlantic review introduces Netflix's Okja:
Do-jun has a friend named Jin-tae (Jin Gu). Jin-tae easily manipulates him. Do-jun's mental fogginess may be his most attractive quality. In the town, a shocking murder occurs. A girl's body is left where all can see. A golf ball with Do-jun's name is found near the death site.
Okja begins with a splendiferous introduction to its title character. Who is Okja? The ecstatic businesswoman Lucy Mirando (Tilda Swinton) is thrilled to tell us, via multimedia presentation, by revealing to the press and her investors a new kind of “super-pig” her global corporation has discovered. A giant, lumbering beast resembling a hippo (though with a more baleful face), this creature is the future of cuisine, Lucy explains, and Okja is a prized calf sent to a farm in South Korea as part of a worldwide competition to find the best environment for her species. There she’ll roam around the mountains for 10 years, munch on the grass, and becoming a loving companion to young Mija (Ahn Seo-hyun), the farmer’s granddaughter.And a Slate review introduces The Host, which was the highest-grossing South Korean film from its release until 2014:
Park Hie-bong (Byeon Hie-bong) manages a snack stand on the banks of the Han with his son, a bleached-blond ne'er-do-well named Gang-du (Song Kang-ho). Gang-du has a 13-year-old daughter, Hyeon-seo (Ko Ah-sung), whose mother abandoned her at birth. As Hyeon-seo and her layabout dad watch her aunt, Nam-joo (Bae Du-na), place third in a national archery competition on TV, something strange is happening in the river outside. What looks to be a giant, multilegged tadpole hangs upside down from a bridge piling, does a few impressive loop-the-loops under the bridge, and then disappears into the water. Passersby gather to watch, throwing food at the mysterious amphibian. Moments later, in defiance of the monster-movie convention of the slow reveal, the thing is galumphing along the riverbank in full daylight, munching its way through entire trailers full of people.Tickets and showtime information are available at the theater's website. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).
Labels:
Events,
Korea,
movies,
Pittsburgh
2017 Takashi Miike film Blade of the Immortal (無限の住人) in Pittsburgh, November 3 - 9.
The 2017 Takashi Miike film Blade of the Immortal (無限の住人) will play at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont from November 3 through November 9. A May 18 IndieWire review has a summary of Miike's 100th film:
With a body count in the thousands and a breakneck pitch that starts at feverishly intense and only builds upwards, “Blade of the Immortal” is certainly one of Takashi Miike’s most lethal works. But then, how else should a director with Miike’s talents celebrate such a milestone? You see, not only is his adaptation of a popular manga overloaded, overlong and gleefully over-the-top – it’s also the director’s hundredth feature film.Tickets and showtime information is available from the theater's website; the movie plays at 9:00 pm each night from the 3rd through the 9th. 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.
Based on Hiroaki Samura’s eponymous series, “Blade of the Immortal” follows Manji (local mega-star Takuya Kimura), a cursed samurai and unkillable killing machine who broods and maims his way across Edo era Japan. Thanks to the “sacred bloodworms” coursing through his veins, Manji can heal any wound and ages in slow motion, and that’s not the only similarity to a certain Marvel hero, as this film also hinges on the relationship between the older sell-sword and young girl he’s paid to protect.
Labels:
Events,
Japan,
movies,
Pittsburgh
2016 Tibetan movie Soul on a String in Oakland, November 5
The 2016 Tibetan movie Soul on a String will play at the Carnegie Library in Oakland on November 5 as that month's installment of International Cinema Sunday.
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Pittsburgh-based WholeRen hiring Brand Content Specialist (品牌项目专员) fluent in Mandarin.
WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团), a Chinese education consulting and placement firm headquartered in Oakland, is hiring a Brand Content Specialist (品牌项目专员) fluent in Mandarin.
Labels:
China,
Jobs,
Pittsburgh
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し) playing in Pittsburgh, October 29 and 30.
The 2001 Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し) will play Pittsburgh-area Cinemark theaters as part of GKIDS Studio Ghibli Fest 2017 on October 29 and 30.
Labels:
Events,
Japan,
movies,
Pittsburgh
"Storytime: Chinese and English" at Carnegie Library in Squirrel Hill, October 28.
The Squirrel Hill branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will host its next "Storytime: Chinese and English" on October 28.
Celebrate our 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 caregivers.It runs from 11:00 to 11:30 am and is free and open to the public. The Carnegie Library branch in Squirrel Hill is located at 5801 Forbes Ave. (map), accessible by buses 61A, 61B, 61C, 61D, and 74.
Labels:
China,
Events,
Pittsburgh,
Taiwan
Monday, October 23, 2017
2017 Japanese animated film Mary and the Witch's Flower (メアリと魔女の花) in Pittsburgh in January 2018.
The 2017 Japanese animated film Mary and the Witch's Flower (メアリと魔女の花) will play at Pittsburgh-area Cinemark theaters on January 18, 2018.
Fathom Events and GKIDS are proud to present this special one-night premiere event of Studio Ponoc's debut film by Academy Award®-nominated director Hiromasa Yonebayashi, director of Studio Ghibli’s When Marnie Was There and The Secret World of Arrietty, and an animator on Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and more. Mary and The Witch’s Flower is an all-ages action fantasy adventure full of ingenious characters, jaw-dropping imaginative worlds, and the simple, heartfelt story of a young girl trying to find her place in the world. The English dubbed version (featuring the voices of Ruby Barnhill, Kate Winslet, and Jim Broadbent) will start at 7:00pm, and the English subtitled version at 8:00pm.Tickets for both the dubbed and subtitled versions are currently available online. Pittsburgh-area Cienmark theaters showing the film are Monaca, Monroeville, North Hills, and Pittsburgh Mills.
Labels:
Events,
Japan,
movies,
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Ginkgo Fest, November 4.
Labels:
China,
Events,
Japan,
Pittsburgh
"Postwar Tokyo: Reality and Imagination through the Camera", October 25 at Pitt.
The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Dr. Shunya Yoshimi and his talk "Postwar Tokyo: Reality and Imagination through the Camera" on October 25. The talk will run from 3:00 to 4:30 pm in 630 William Pitt Union (map), and is free and open to the public.
Labels:
Events,
Japan,
Pittsburgh
"Indonesia-Korea Earthquake Dialogue," October 27 at Pitt.
The University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs will host an "Indonesia-Korea Earthquake Dialogue" on October 27.
The Global Earthquakes Group: Response, Recovery, and Resilience (GERRR) will have an event, "Indonesia-Korea Earthquake Dialogue" at 12:00p.m., Friday, October 27 in Posvar Hall, room 3800. The group is funded by GSPIA’s Fund for Student Initiatives and hosting a series of dialogues in order to provide GSPIA students and the public the opportunity to participate in conversations with experts on the character of seismic risk, as well as earthquakes that occurred in Ecuador, Indonesia, Italy, Korea, and Nepal within the past two years. Dr. Taieb Znati (Chair of Department of Computer Science, School of Computing and Information, University of Pittsburgh) and YoonAh Shin(Graduate Student Researcher at GSPIA's Center for Disaster Management) will talk about Hazard SEES Project in Padang, Indonesia and Ji Sun Ryu (Director of Disaster Recovery Support Division, the Ministry of Interior and Safety, South Korea) will discuss governmental responses in Kyeongju Earthquakes, South Korea.The event runs from 12:00 to 1:30 pm in 3800 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the public. The event listing notes that Korean and Indonesian food will be provided.
Labels:
Events,
Indonesia,
Korea,
Pittsburgh
Sunday, October 22, 2017
2004 Thai horror film Shutter (ชัตเตอร์ กดติดวิญญาณ) at Butler Maridon's Museum, October 27.
The 2004 Thai horror film Shutter (ชัตเตอร์ กดติดวิญญาณ) will play at the Maridon Museum in Butler on October 27, the second of three installment's in the museum's Thai Film Series. The Tribeca Film Festival provides a summary:
There's a ghost in the machine and she's looking for blood in this nastily entertaining supernatural thriller from Thailand. It was the biggest Thai box office hit of 2004 and the country's response to the current Asian horror renaissance. The photographer and playboy Ton and his girlfriend Jane accidentally run over a woman on their way home one night; even worse, they drive off without stopping. Their guilt forces them to return a few days later, but there's no record of the accident, nor report of a body. There is one problem though; all of Ton's recent photos have been smeared with a strange light and an odd smudge, one that when enlarged looks strangely like a woman's face. Who this woman is, and what she's after, are questions that grow more urgent as Ton's friends begin dying, and as his playboy past begins to unravel.The movie starts at 6:00 pm and is free and open to the public, though reservations are required to be made by phone: 724-282-0123. It will be presented by Slippery Rock University professor William Covey.
The Maridon Museum is an Asian art museum at 322 N. McKean St. in downtown Butler (map) that runs film series periodically throughout the year, in addition to art classes, book club meetings, and its regular exhibits.
Friday, October 20, 2017
Cremation Ceremony of King Bhumibol, October 26 at Carnegie Mellon University.
SIAM - CMU Thai Students Association will host a ceremony marking the cremation of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand on October 26.
His Majesty the beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand passed away on October 13, 2016. His Majesty has worked tirelessly on several projects all over the kingdom throughout his life for the betterment of his people. His countless accomplishments and teachings will forever be remembered.The event will be held in the Connan Room of the Jared L. Cohon University Center (map) from 5:30 pm.
The cremation of the Late King is happening on October 26, 2017 in Thailand. SIAM will be hosting an event on CMU campus for those of us away from home but would like to pay respect to the King. Please dress respectfully to the event.
The exhibition will be open from 5:30 to 8:00pm. There will be a presentation about the cremation ceremony at 6:00pm presented by SIAM Thai members.
Labels:
Events,
Pittsburgh,
Thailand
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Nine decades of Chinese food in Squirrel Hill.
Advertisement in the June 29, 1934 Jewish Criterion.
Pittsburgh's Chinese food scene has gotten a lot of attention and acclaim in recent years, specifically newer restaurants in Squirrel Hill—see this piece in Saveur and this write-up from Eater, for example—but Chinese restaurants have been in the neighborhood for almost a century. The Canton Tea Garden opened on June 30, 1934 at 2018 Murray Ave., where it stayed through the 1930s and 1940s. Like its contemporaries, it advertised Americanized dishes for local tastes. The December 14, 1934 installment of "Sue's Shopping Pursuit" profiles the restaurant:
If it is true that in China people never heard of Chop Suey, all we can say is "they don't know what they are missing." Once you have eaten it at the CANTON TEA GARDEN you'll have no trouble in agreeing with us. And at the same place—2018 Murray Avenue, by the way—there are all sorts of other Chinese dishes too.
But we have saved the best thing about the Canton Tea Garden for last. On some of these cold winter nights haven't you often had a yen (parton our mixture of Japanese with Chinese!) for some good Chinese food—yet you hated to go out to get it? Well, all you need to do next time you feel that way is to phone Hazel 1213, no matter when it is, or where you are—you can order what you want.
Via Dr. Young Suh Kim.
On December 9, 1950 it reopened at 2205 Murray Ave., as seen in the photograph above taken by a Korean graduate student in the late-1950s. The outline of the sign's lettering can still be seen on the present-day Squirrel Hill Shoe Repair.
"Tea G" faintly visible at the Squirrel Hill Shoe Repair.
Labels:
China,
food,
History,
Pittsburgh
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Pittsburgh firm hiring for Japanese-Fluent Document Review Attorney position.
Special Counsel, a national legal staffing and recruiting company, just posted an opening for a Japanese-Fluent Document Review Attorney in Pittsburgh.
Special Counsel is working with several clients who have future needs for Japanese-fluent barred document review attorneys in Pittsburgh, PA! We are expecting these projects to move quickly.
Labels:
Japan,
Jobs,
Pittsburgh
2016 Japanese animated movie A Silent Voice (聲の形) in Pittsburgh, October 22.
The 2016 Japanese animated movie A Silent Voice (聲の形) will play at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont on October 22. A synopsis of the film, opening in the US on October 20, from the distributor:
A deaf elementary school girl, Shoko Nishimiya, upon transferring, meets a boy named Shoya Ishida in her new class. Shoya, who is not deaf, leads the class in bullying Shoko, because she is deaf. As the bullying continues, the class starts to bully Shoya for bullying Shoko. After graduating from elementary school, Shoko and Shoya do not speak to each other… until later, when Shoya, tormented over his past, decides he must see Shoko once more. Shoya wants to make amends for what he did in elementary school and be Shoko’s friend.The movie will play at 2:00 pm and tickets are available online for $15. 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.
Labels:
Events,
Japan,
movies,
Pittsburgh
Umami named Best Japanese Restaurant in 2017 Pittsburgh City-Paper Readers' Poll.
via @UmamiPgh.
Umami was voted Best Japanese Restaurant in the 2017 Pittsburgh City-Paper Readers' Poll, which announced its results this morning. Umami, which opened in Lawrenceville in April 2016,
offers contemporary Japanese fare that is as pleasing to the eye as it is to the tastebuds. Menu categories include robatayaki — skewered foods grilled over charcoal — and yatai, which encompasses items served at street-food stands.Nakama was voted Best Sushi, and had been a perennial winner of Best Japanese, garnering the most votes in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2015, and 2016.
Other relevant winners to this site are Sesame Inn again being named Best Chinese Restaurant, Nicky's Thai Kitchen voted Best Thai, and Pusadee's Garden Thai voted Best Outdoor Dining.
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Ariba hiring bilingual Chinese-English Procurement Operations Specialist for overnight position.
Pittsburgh-based Ariba is again hiring a bilingual Chinese-English Procurement Operations Specialist for an 8:00 pm to 5:00 am shift. An excerpt from the job posting:
The Customer Support Specialist is the face and voice of Ariba to our customers, building relationships in each interaction. Specialists help our customers maximize the benefits of Ariba solutions to facilitate a global exchange of goods and services in the world’s largest business to business trading community. They use their expertise and collaborate with team members and customers across the globe to provide detailed solutions that exceed expectations.
Labels:
China,
Jobs,
Pittsburgh,
Taiwan
HCL Technologies hiring Bilingual Korean Query Analyst for position onsite at Google.
HCL Technologies is hiring a Bilingual Korean Query Analyst for a position working onsite at Google in Larimer. The posting, via Monster.com:
Bilingual Korean Query Analyst is a full time position through HCL America, Inc. onsite at Google Pittsburgh. You will work to enhance users’ online shopping experience by analyzing the user query stream, and improving Google user search results using highly technical internal tools and processes. It is part of a fast-paced environment, partnering closely with operations and engineering teams.
Labels:
Jobs,
Korea,
Pittsburgh
Japanese horror film Ring (リング) at Row House Cinema, October 21.
The classic Japanese horror film Ring (リング) will play at the Row House Cinema at midnight on October 21.
When her niece is found dead along with three friends after viewing a supposedly cursed videotape, reporter Reiko Asakawa (Nanako Matsushima) sets out to investigate.Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for Row House Film Club members, and are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).
Labels:
Events,
Japan,
movies,
Pittsburgh
Japanese Career Information Session at the University of Pittsburgh, October 18.
Activ8 Recruitment & Solutions is holding a Japanese Career Information Session on October 18 in the Department of East Asian Languages at the University of Pittsburgh. The session runs from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm in 2712 Cathedral of Learning.
Activ8 Recruitment & Solutions has been visiting universities located across the United States every spring and fall and arranging Career Information Sessions for students and new graduates. We welcome any who speaks Japanese and/or are those studying Japanese language and culture. We meet and talk with each student to introduce our services and provide useful job market information for Japanese-English bilingual students or those who wish to work for Japanese businesses. There is no fee for applicants from the beginning to the end.
Labels:
Events,
Japan,
Jobs,
Pittsburgh
Monday, October 16, 2017
Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し) free at Pitt on October 20, Howl's Moving Castle (ハウルの動く城) on October 21.
The Pitt Program Council will present Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し) and Howl's Moving Castle (ハウルの動く城) in an Anime Movie Marathon on October 20 and 21.
Labels:
Events,
Japan,
movies,
Pittsburgh
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Korean Music Festival 2017, November 4 at University of Pittsburgh.
The Korean Association of Greater Pittsburgh and the Korean Heritage Room will present Korean Music Festival 2017 on November 4 at the University of Pittsburgh.
Celebrating Korean Music and musicians who love Korean cultureThe event starts at 7:00 pm at the Frick Fine Arts Auditorium in Oakland (map). Tickets are free for children and students, and $10 for general admission.
Featuring
Pittsburgh Korean Children’s Festival Chorus
Pittsburgh Korean Women’s Chorale
Voice and instrumental music
Chamber Music
Pittsburgh Korean Chamber Orchestra
A Korean songs sing-along
Moderated by Dr. Nick Bum Soo Kim & Lynnea E. Lombardi
Reception to follow
Labels:
Events,
Korea,
music,
Pittsburgh
Saturday, October 14, 2017
2016 Hong Kong movie Sisterhood (骨妹) at ReelQ Pittsburgh LGBT Film Festival, October 19.
The 2016 Hong Kong movie Sisterhood (骨妹) will play in Pittsburgh at the 32nd annual ReelQ Pittsburgh LGBT Film Festival on October 19. A South China Morning Post review summarizes the film:
Fifteen years after she moved to Taiwan to marry a hostel owner, Macau-raised orphan Sei (Gigi Leung Wing-kei) remains haunted by her abrupt breakup with best friend Ling around the turn of the millennium. When news of Ling’s death arrives, Sei, now a chronic alcoholic, finally decides to travel back to her hometown and piece together their intimate past together in the late 1990s.The movie will play at 7:30 pm at the Harris Theater in the downtown Cultural District (map). Tickets are available online at $9 for adults and $6 for students.
Labels:
Events,
Hong Kong,
movies,
Pittsburgh
"Storytime: Japanese and English" at Carnegie Library in East Liberty, October 17.
The next installment of the monthly program "Storytime: Japanese and English" will take place on October 17 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 birth-5 and their caregivers.It runs from 11:00 to 11:30 am and is free and open to the public. The library is located at 130 S. Whitfield St. (map).
Labels:
Events,
Japan,
Pittsburgh
Thursday, October 12, 2017
CMU K-Pop Dance Club K-BBQ Social, October 19.
Carnegie Mellon University's K-Pop Dance Club will host a Korean BBQ Social on October 19.
Come join us for a Korean pork belly (samgyupsal) party at 5:30 PM Oct. 19 (Thursday) to celebrate the mid-semester break!It will start at 5:30 pm at Donner Ditch, the outdoor grilling area next to Donner House off of Margaret Morrison St. (map).
Rice and ssamjang (Korean sauce) will be provided. You don't have to be a KPDC member for this. Just come enjoy food and music with us!
************************************************************
IT'S ALL YOU CAN EAT FOR $10 IF YOU RSVP (please fill out the form: https://goo.gl/forms/4tqnEwUFCkVJgLG32).
It will be $12 if you pay at the door.
Rapper G Yamazawa at Pitt, October 21.
The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Student Alliance will bring rapper and spoken word poet G Yamazawa to Pitt on October 21.
Born in Durham, NC and raised by Japanese immigrants, "G" is widely considered one of the top young spoken word rapper and poets in the country. His art challenges American perspectives of race and culture.The event runs from 5:00 to 7:30 pm in Nordy's, in the ground floor of the William Pitt Union (map).
⭐"G" is a National Poetry Slam Champion, Individual World Poetry Slam Finalist, and has toured 200 universities. He was also nominated for Best New Hip Hop Artist by the 2016 Carolina Music Awards.
⭐He's performed at the Sundance Film Festival and the Pentagon
⭐He co-founded Sacrificial Poets, a youth poetry organization that advocates for youth empowerment through political poetry
Labels:
Events,
music,
Pittsburgh
KANTO KanKitchen Filipino-style pig roast in Lawrenceville, October 30.
Spirit in Lawrenceville will host the next KANTO KanKitchen event, a Filipino-style pig roast on October 30. Kanto, explains the official website, is a noun meaning
corner; place where two streets meet;
to reference a location of an event or venue;
"KANTO," in Pittsburgh, are gatherings at different
locations curated by Chef Rafael Vencio with a
seasonally driven menu for each occasion.
Labels:
Events,
food,
Philippines,
Pittsburgh
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Chuseok Korean Fall Festival at Pitt, October 15.
The Daehwa Korean Conversaion Club, the Asian Studies Center, and the Korean Student Association will present a Chuseok festival on Sunday, October 15.
Join us in celebrating Chuseok, Korea's Fall Festival. There will be food, games, and music!The festival runs from 5:00 to 8:00 pm in the William Pitt Union Ballroom (map) and is free and open to the public.
Labels:
Events,
Korea,
Pittsburgh
"Hope Without Future: Hong Kong Young People And Stories Of Present Livability" at Pitt, October 16.
The University of Pittsburgh will host Dr. Kevin Ming of Project Share Hong Kong and his talk "Hope Without Future: Hong Kong Young People And Stories Of Present Livability" on October 16.
Yuen Long, New Territories, Hong Kong is a part of the ecologically vital, heavily populated, and hyper-urbanizing Pearl River delta region. As in many parts of the world, the people there, and the environment in which they live, are caught up in a mix of rapid development projects, cumulative environmental disasters, fraught population movements, and diverse forms of social-ecological dis-placement. Drawing from a number of years of ethnographic research in the region, this talk will trace some of the uneven impacts this entails through a discussion of how young people in Yuen Long are experiencing, navigating, and surviving these changing conditions, and how in turn they are responding. While these responses include nativism and democracy activism, as widely reported in local and international media, they also include what I call ordinary-fantastic stories of present livability. Articulating diverse imaginations of community and mutualistic belonging, these stories are both situated within the specific muddle of realities in the New Territories and are entangled in broader questions of accelerating dis-placements and diminishing life ecologies. I conclude with a discussion of what these stories have to tell us about emergent livabilities for young people in Hong Kong, or the worldings of ordinary imaginings that are fantastic and unlikely urges towards flourishing life.The talk runs from 2:00 to 4:00 pm in 4217 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the public. It is part of International Education Week.
Labels:
China,
Events,
Hong Kong,
Pittsburgh
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Chinese Language Teachers Association of Western Pennsylvania 2017 Autumn Symposium (西賓州中文教師學會2017 年秋季研討會), October 15 at CMU.
The agenda for the Chinese Language Teachers Association of Western Pennsylvania 2017 Autumn Symposium (西賓州中文教師學會2017 年秋季研討會), scheduled for October 15 at Carnegie Mellon University, was just released.
The mission of the CLTA-WPA is described thus:
The mission of the CLTA-WPA is described thus:
The mission of the Chinese Language Teachers Association of Western Pennsylvania (CLTA-WPA) is to:Registration is required, and can be completed online. The event registration fee is $20, though this is waived for CLTA-WPA members. The event runs from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm at room 100 of Porter Hall (map).
- Promote the teaching and learning of Chinese language and culture in the western Pennsylvania area
- Help improve and strengthen Chinese language and culture instruction
- Establish a forum for exchanging information, expertise, ideas, experiences, and materials about Chinese education
- Serve the community in promoting quality Chinese education
Labels:
China,
Events,
Pittsburgh
Live-action Tokyo Ghoul (東京喰種) movie in Pittsburgh, from October 16.
The new live-action movie Tokyo Ghoul (東京喰種) will play at the Southside Works Cinema from October 16 through 19. A synopsis, from the distributor:
Riddled with gripping fight scenes and tasteful gore, this adaptation of Tokyo Ghoul brings the popular manga series to life like never before.The movie was released on July 29 in Japan.
Buried in books and a quiet life, Ken Kaneki is all but dead to the world in an age where flesh-eating ghouls live among us. But when his only chance for survival is an organ donation that turns him into a ghoul-human hybrid, he finds sanctuary at Anteiku—a café run by the people he once considered monsters. Targeted by anti-ghoul forces, this safe house is up against a hunger more sickening than their own. When their most innocent members are threatened by humanity’s taste for vengeance, Kaneki will risk life and limb to protect the very world that changed his own.
Tickets and showtime information is available online via the theater's website. Southside Works Cinema is located at 425 Cinema Drive in the Southside, one block from the Hot Metal Bridge (map).
Labels:
Events,
Japan,
movies,
Pittsburgh
George Takei to speak at Pitt, October 17; musical film Allegiance on October 15.
Via @georgehtakei
The University of Pittsburgh will host activist, actor, and author George Takei on October 17 as the keynote speaker of this year's International Education Week.
With a career spanning five decades, George Takei is known around the world for his founding role in the acclaimed television series Star Trek, in which he played Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the Starship Enterprise. But George Takei's story goes where few stories have gone before. From a childhood spent with his family wrongfully imprisoned in a Japanese American Internment Camp during WWII, to becoming one of the country's leading figures in the fight for social justice, LGBTQ rights, and marriage equality—George Takei remains a powerful voice on issues ranging from politics to pop culture.On Sunday, October 15th, the film adaptation of the musical Allegiance will play at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum. A symopsis of the film, from the musical's website:
Allegiance illuminates one of American history’s lesser known chapters as it tells the story of Sam Kimura (Takei), transported back nearly six decades to when his younger self (Telly Leung, Godspell, “Glee”) and his sister Kei (Tony Award®-winner Lea Salonga, Miss Saigon, Mulan) fought to stay connected to their heritage, their family and themselves after Japanese Americans were wrongfully imprisoned during World War II. An important story told with great resonance and intimacy, Allegiance explores the ties that bind us, the struggle to persevere and the overwhelming power of forgiveness and, most especially, love.Both events will begin at 7:00 pm, and tickets are available via the International Week website.
Labels:
Events,
Japan,
Pittsburgh
Handa City Nihon Buyo workshop at Pitt, October 14.
"Eiko Hayashi, Nihon Buyô – danse du Kabuki (Musée Guimet)" by Jean-Pierre Dalbéra [Creative Commons].
The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center and the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania will host a Handa City Nihon Buyo workshop on October 14.
Join the Asian Studies Center and the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania on Saturday, October 14 from 9:30-11:30 am for a Japanese dance workshop on Nihon Buyo (日本舞踊). Nihon Buyo is a form of dance that grew out of Kabuki theater movements. A presentation, followed by a short performance of Nihon Buyo will be given by dance master Shinojo Nishikawa and her troupe. At the end of the performance, participants will learn a Nihon Buyo based dance-fitness routine (please wear comfortable clothing if you would like to participate).The event will be held at the O'Hara Student Center in Oakland (map). Reservations are required by October 11 and those interested should email Patrick Hughes at hughespw at pitt.edu.
This workshop is free and open to the public.
(light refreshments will be served at 9:30 and the presentation will begin at 10:00)
Labels:
Events,
Japan,
Pittsburgh
Monday, October 9, 2017
Pitt hiring bilingual Mandarin-English temporary liaison.
The University of Pittsburgh's Katz Graduate School of Business Center for Executive Education is hiring a bilingual Mandarin-English liaison for a temporary position.
The candidate will work closely with the Director of Operations to provide logistical support for the Shougang Executive Education program. The candidate will attend all academic sessions, all site visits and all meetings with the Shougang and WholeRen team. Where necessary, the candidate will provide verbal and written translation services.The job pays $17 per hour and is 30 hours per week. Those interested should apply via PittSource.
Job Requirements
Fluent in Mandarin and English (spoken and written). Experience in business. MBA and work in educational programs a plus. Must be able to attend all academic sessions and site visits. Must be able to work independently.
Labels:
China,
Events,
Jobs,
Pittsburgh
Jackie Chan's The Foreigner in Pittsburgh, from October 12.
Jackie Chan's forthcoming movie The Foreigner will open in Pittsburgh, and throughout the US, on October 12. A plot summary, from the official site:
The film tells the story of humble London businessman Quan (Chan), whose long-buried past erupts in a revenge-fueled vendetta when the only person left for him to love -- his teenage daughter -- is taken from him in a senseless act of politically-motivated terrorism.The movie will play at the AMC Loews Waterfront theater, Southside Works Cinema, Phoenix Theaters Chartiers Valley in Bridgeville, and at several other locations in the area, with ticket and showtime information available online.
In his relentless search for the identity of the terrorists, Quan is forced into a cat- and-mouse conflict with a British government official (Brosnan), whose own past may hold clues to the identities of the elusive killers
Labels:
China,
Events,
movies,
Pittsburgh
Bae Bae's Kitchen opens downtown.
via @baebaeskitchen.
Bae Bae's Kitchen, a new Korean-owned "Asian inspired" restaurant, opened Saturday at 951 Liberty Ave. (map) in the Cultural District. A menu is not available yet, but its social media says it specializes in organic, sustainable, and healthy cuisine.
Labels:
food,
Korea,
Openings,
Pittsburgh
"The Magic of K-Pop: A Cultural Consumption Perspective" at Pitt, October 20.
The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures will host Dr. Yun-Oh Whang of the Katz Graduate School of Business and his talk "The Magic of K-Pop: A Cultural Consumption Perspective" on October 20.
The rise of Korean music (K-Pop) around the world in the last two decades has been a mystery to many industry experts. Some compares it to the explosion of British rock and roll in 1960s (“The British Invasion”), calling it “The Korean Wave (Han-Ryu)”. Even though it is not a part of the main stream music worldwide, it definitely deserves our attention as a cultural sensation. What is the magic ingredient of K-Pop for its worldwide popularity? How has a tiny country such as South Korea become a major exporter of a cultural product? We will first discuss the history of the rise of K-Pop and try to identify the answers to these questions. Our focus will be on K-Pop as a cultural product and examine the market forces including the consumers who adopted K-Pop as their music of choice.The event starts at 12:00 noon in 4130 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the public.
Labels:
Events,
Korea,
music,
Pittsburgh
Sunday, October 8, 2017
Japanese rock band Boris (ボリス) in Pittsburgh, October 27.
Japanese band Boris (ボリス) will play at Mr. Smalls Theater on October 27. Boris---which has tried to eschew labels but has been labelled heavy metal and experimental rock---is touring Europe and the US for its 25th Anniversary Tour. The Pittsburgh City-Paper summarized Boris ahead of a 2007 show here:
Three Japanese musicians merge into one pure vacuum of rock influence by absorbing every hyphenated, italicized and marginalized genre. Atsuo (drums), Wata (guitar) and Takeshi (bass) have fashioned a stellar compass of sounds since they first coalesced in 1992. Boris affords its members a sort of artistic invisibility, a singular tri-dentity capable of boundless experimentation. Last names are always withheld and song credits littered with intentional errors to further dissociate the music from its makers.Tickets for the all-ages show are $18 to $20 online. Mr. Smalls Theatre is located at 400 Lincoln Ave. in Millvale (map).
Labels:
Events,
Japan,
music,
Pittsburgh
Saturday, October 7, 2017
Upcoming anime film Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel 1. presage flower (劇場版 Fate / stay night [Heaven's Feel] 第一章「presage flower」) in Pittsburgh in November.
The upcoming anime film Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel 1. presage flower (劇場版 Fate / stay night [Heaven's Feel] 第一章「presage flower」) will play at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont on November 18.
Labels:
Events,
Japan,
movies,
Pittsburgh
Friday, October 6, 2017
OCA Pittsburgh Free Medical and Dental Clinic (義診), October 23.
The Pittsburgh chapter of the Organization of Chinese Americans will host its annual Free Medical and Dental Clinic on October 23 at UPMC Montefiore Hospital in Oakland. Walkins are welcome, but registration is preferred. Please see the flyers above for clinic and registration information.
Labels:
China,
Events,
Pittsburgh
Japan-inspired crepes coming soon(er) to Squirrel Hill.
Photo on right via T-swirl Crêpe Facebook page.
New signage is up at 1714 Murray Ave. (map) for T-Swirl Crêpe, a chain of crepe restaurants with its first Pittsburgh location set to open in Squirrel Hill.
The story of T-swirl Crepe starts thousands of miles away on the shores of Japan. The Japanese Crepe borrows from a western concept and modernized it into new level of versatility that you can gobble on the go. Building on this new concept, T-swirl started to research and have perfected the 100% gluten free rice flour batter, to craft a crispy thin chewy layer that embraces all the decadent condiments. T-swirl is synonymous with using the finest ingredients to construct a trendy/artistic crepe that arrives to your hand with incredible speed. We have standardized the process to give you a consistently clean and delicious crepe."Coming Soon" signage first went up in May 2016, and the store was originally scheduled to open in July. And though the chain started in New York City, it has a Pittsburgh connection, as an NBC story on "undocumented entrepreneurs" found:
In 2007, Andy Lin moved out of New York, travelling to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to begin work at a hibachi restaurant where Jerry Lin was already employed, he said. Andy Lin proved a quick study, Jerry Lin recalled, earning the plaudits of the owner who asked him to partner to open another store two years later.
But despite earning more than $10,000 a month, Andy Lin said he began to feel his career plateauing after years of doing the same thing day in, day out.
That's when he noticed the frozen yogurt shop across from his restaurant in Pittsburgh and decided to take a chance, he said.
Hoping to ride the frozen-yogurt wave washing up in cities across the country, Andy Lin returned his share of the restaurant and left at the end of 2010, he said.
Labels:
food,
Japan,
Openings,
Pittsburgh
Thursday, October 5, 2017
The Overture (โหมโรง), Shutter (ชัตเตอร์ กดติดวิญญาณ), and Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (ลุงบุญมีระลึกชาติ) at Maridon Museum's Thai film series, from October 12.
Butler's Maridon Museum will show three Thai movies as part of a Thailand Film Series in October and November: The Overture (โหมโรง), Shutter (ชัตเตอร์ กดติดวิญญาณ), and Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (ลุงบุญมีระลึกชาติ).
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