Thursday, July 30, 2020

New Chinese restaurant under construction on Forbes Ave. in Squirrel Hill.



Permits have been issued for work on a new Chinese restaurant in Squirrel Hill. A building permit for 5867 Forbes Ave. (map) to "Build a small restaurant" was issued last month, the contracter being ABC Global, a consulting firm owned by a local Chinese businessperson involved in numerous Chinese restaurant and grocery projects. The lcoation was formerly home to Capriccio Boutique.

TBT: Rina Sawayama in Pittsburgh.


via @deltafoundation and Mark Simpson Photography

Rina Sawayama has been in the news for the British Awards exclusion, and was very briefly in the local news here last year when she opened for Toni Braxton at last June's Pride Rocks PGH concert.


via @deltafoundation and Mark Simpson Photography

2013 animated film Patema Inverted (サカサマのパテマ) online at Row House Cinema, part of Japanese Film Week, from July 31.



The 2013 animated film Patema Inverted (サカサマのパテマ) will play online at Row House Cinema as part of Japanese Film Week from July 31. From a 2014 New York Times review:
An orphaned girl and a fatherless boy bridge opposing societies in “Patema Inverted,” a delightful animated fable from Yasuhiro Yoshiura.

When a scientific experiment goes awry, the laws of physics go nuts, and a subset of humans is forced underground, where gravity has been reversed. In this inverted world of tunnels and caverns, the sky is a terrifying blue-and-white hole for the unwary — like the 14-year-old Patema — to fall into.

Meanwhile, on the surface, young Age and his school friends aren’t faring much better under a totalitarian regime that forbids them to look toward the heavens.

Similar to Juan Solanas’s little-seen 2013 love story, “Upside Down,” this “Can we get along?” movie literalizes a physical attraction that acts as a counterargument to the divided worlds’ insistence on separation.
Ticket information is coming soon. Two other films comprise Japanese Film Week, which actually runs two weeks through August 13: A Girl Missing (よこがお) and We Are Little Zombies (ウィーアーリトルゾンビーズ) , both from 2019.

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Replay of "A Conversation Too Long Ignored: How COVID-19, Xenophobia and Systemic Racism Disenfranchise the Marginalized Communities of Pittsburgh" from Pitt Diversity Forum 2020 now available.



This year's installment of the annual Pitt Diversity Forum, titled Advancing Social Justice: A Call To Action, featured a number of topics related to Asian-America and xenophobia on July 29. A replay of the livestream of "A Conversation Too Long Ignored: How COVID-19, Xenophobia and Systemic Racism Disenfranchise the Marginalized Communities of Pittsburgh" with Marian M. Lien, Josiah Gilliam, and James Cook is now available:

Crazy Rich Asians at Waterworks Cinema, July 29 and 30.



The movie Crazy Rich Asians is playing at the Waterworks Cinema on July 29 and 30. A summary of the film, from the distributor:
"Crazy Rich Asians” follows native New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) as she accompanies her longtime boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding), to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. Excited about visiting Asia for the first time but nervous about meeting Nick’s family, Rachel is unprepared to learn that Nick has neglected to mention a few key details about his life. It turns out that he is not only the scion of one of the country’s wealthiest families but also one of its most sought-after bachelors. Being on Nick’s arm puts a target on Rachel’s back, with jealous socialites and, worse, Nick’s own disapproving mother (Michelle Yeoh) taking aim. And it soon becomes clear that while money can’t buy love, it can definitely complicate things.
Tickets for the two 7:40 pm shows are available online. The theater is located at the Waterworks Shopping Mall across the river from Higland Park (map).

Brew & View: We Are Little Zombies (ウィーアーリトルゾンビーズ) with Row House Cinema, July 31 - August 2; film continues through August 13.



The Row House Cinema will present an online "Brew & View" with the 2019 Japanese film We Are Little Zombies (ウィーアーリトルゾンビーズ) from July 31 through August 2.
We're rethinking our signature beer and movie events so that you can pair great beer with an amazing film safely at home while Row House Cinema is closed.

Here's how it works:
1.) Pre-order your beer through Eventbrite ($20)
Tickets: https://bit.ly/38PnD7k

2.) Pick up a special 4 pack at Bierport July 31-Aug 2.
(Pssst. You can call ahead to add popcorn to your pickup!)

3.) Rent “We Are Little Zombies” from Row House Online ($12)
(Available 7-31 to 8-13 at rowhousecinema.com)

4.) Crack open a cold one and follow our handy guide for drinking themed beers that pair with key scenes in the movie!

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

1975 film The Man From Hong Kong (直搗黃龍) online with Row House Cinema, August 1.



The Row House Cinema will present the 1975 Australia-Hong Kong film The Man From Hong Kong (直搗黃龍) on August 1. This live stream will feature commentary from the director and the head programmer of Portland's Hollywood Theatre.
Join us this Saturday, August 1st at 9:15 pm EDT, for the live stream of "Man from Hong Kong" on 36cinema.com!

Dan Halsted—head programmer at the Hollywood Theatre—and Brian Trenchard Smith—film writer, author, and director of "Man From Hong Kong"—will provide live commentary during this special presentation.

Visit http://36cinema.com/RowHouse to secure your spot!

THE MAN FROM HONG KONG is a rare success, both in terms of blending Eastern and Western action styles and of providing a snapshot of how no-holds-barred Aussie cinema was at the time. This movie is filled with non-stop excitement and wild stunt work.
The Facebook event page gives the incorrect date; the film will play on August 1. Tickets for the 9:15 pm show are $10.

2019 Japanese film A Girl Missing (よこがお) online at Row House Cinema, from July 31.



The 2019 Japanese film A Girl Missing (よこがお) will play online at the Row House Cinema from July 31. An August 2019 Variety review provides a synopsis:
Ichiko is a visiting nurse whose in-home care for elderly artist Tôko Oishi (Hisako Ohkata) has made her a favorite of the family, especially with Tôko’s two granddaughters, the troubled, enigmatic Motoko (Mikako Ichikawa) and the younger, carefree Saki (Miyu Ogawa). Life is pretty good: Ichiko has a pleasant relationship with her nurse colleagues, she enjoys her work, and she’s engaged to Dr. Totsuka (Mitsuru Fukikoshi). Then Saki disappears and is found one week later seemingly unharmed, with Ichiko’s nephew Tatsuo (Ren Sudo) arrested for abduction. She feels responsible, having introduced the two by chance, yet Motoko tells her not to mention her connection to the accused, as it would jeopardize her presence in the family fold.
It will play online from July 31 through August 13; ticket information is coming soon.

Work on new restaurant Oishii Donburi still continues in Lawrenceville.



Oishii Donburi, a new restaurant coming from the team behind Oakland's Oishii Bento, is still under construction in Lawrenceville. The team with the self-titled company name purchased the former Design Island and Artisan Harvest spot at 5227 Butler St. (map) in May 2018.

Below are a few images released by Margittai Architects last July:


Thursday, July 23, 2020

Topics on Asian-America, xenophobia at Pitt Diversity Forum 2020, July 28 to 30.



This year's installment of the annual Pitt Diversity Forum, titled Advancing Social Justice: A Call To Action, will feature a number of topics related to Asian-America and xenophobia. It is open to the Pitt community and runs from July 28 to 30. Particularly relevant topics include, on July 29:

A Conversation Too Long Ignored: How COVID-19, Xenophobia and Systemic Racism Disenfranchise the Marginalized Communities of Pittsburgh (Livestream)
Marian M. Lien, Josiah Gilliam, and James Cook

As the pandemic escalated with cases, it also intensified daily impacts of systemic racism on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Facilitators at this workshop will discuss local perspectives of how racist and xenophobic incidents including physical and verbal assaults have dramatically increased against the Asian and Asian American populations, and how the pandemic has negatively affected the BIPOC communities who were already experiencing limited access to health care, paid sick leave, economic insecurity, and higher rates of underlying conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and respiratory illnesses that make COVID-10 infections deadly. They will share organizational and community action plans, as well as creating alliances, partnerships, and coalitions to reach a racial equity vision.

Nakama again voted Best Japanese/Sushi Restaurant in Pittsburgh by people who don't know anything about Japanese restaurants in Pittsburgh.



Nakama has again been voted the Best Japanese/Sushi Restaurant by readers of Pittsburgh Magazine, ahead of local Japanese favorites like Chaya, Kiku, and Teppanyaki Kyoto, among others. It's become a yearly joke to post a headline about Pittsburghers and their choice of Japanese restaurants and sushi spots, though reader polls do tend to favor places with name-brand recognition.

2006 Vietnamese film Journey from the Fall (Vượt Sóng) online with Pitt's Asian Studies Center, August 12.



The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will present the 2006 Vietnamese film Journey from the Fall (Vượt Sóng) online on August 12 as the next installment of its Summer Screenshots: Hot Nights/Cold War film series. A synopsis, from the film's official site:
"The Americans have broken their promise. They have left us."
(Long Nguyen, South Vietnamese resistance fighter)

Inspired by the true stories of Vietnamese refugees who fled their land after the fall of Saigon—and those who were forced to stay behind, Journey From The Fall follows one family’s struggle for freedom.

April 30, 1975 marked the end of Vietnam's two-decade-old civil war and the start of the exodus of hundreds of thousands of refugees. Despite his allegiance to the toppled South Vietnamese government, Long Nguyen (as Long Nguyen) decides to remain in Vietnam. Imprisoned in a Communist re-education camp, he urges his family to make the escape by boat without him. His wife Mai (Diem Lien), son Lai (Nguyen Thai Nguyen) and mother Ba Noi (Kieu Chinh) then embark on the arduous ocean voyage in the hope of reaching the U.S. and freedom.

Back in Vietnam, Long suffers years of solitary confinement and hard labor, and finally despairs that his family has perished. But news of their successful resettlement in America inspires him to make one last desperate attempt to join them.
The online presentation starts at 5:30 pm and includes a live Q and A with Ham Tran, the film's director. Those interested should register online.

Monday, July 20, 2020

Vietnamese movie Song Lang (online) in Pittsburgh, July 27.



The 2018 Vietnamese movie Song Lang, which was originally scheduled to play in Pittsburgh on April 30, will stream online on July 27 in a presentation hosted by ReelQ: The Pittsburgh Lesbian & Gay Film Society and the City of Asylum.
Join us for a screening of SONG LANG, hosted by ReelQ. Director Leon Le will introduce the film, give a live talkback, and lead the audience in a Q&A after the screening.

Set in 1980s Saigon, well before the U.S. embargo on Vietnam was lifted in 1994, SONG LANG depicts a gritty underworld whose only source of brightness comes from the gorgeous stage productions of a local opera troupe. A hunky, brooding debt collector forms an unlikely friendship with the charismatic lead actor of the struggling company, and their friendship, to their surprise, awakens feelings in both men. “Song Lang” is a percussion instrument used to control tempo and phrasing in Vietnamese modern folk opera. In the Vietnamese language, it also means “two men.” It is the perfect homonym for a nearly perfect film. This film is an outstanding achievement for first-time feature director Leon Le—who also voices the part of the lead actor in the opera! To date, this film has racked up 25 awards in a wide variety of categories: best narrative feature, screenplay, cinematography, production design, costume design. Festivals in Asia have also recognized newcomer Lien Bahn Phat, who makes his acting debut in this film as the debt collector Dung ‘Thunderbolt,’ as a rising star.
The presentation starts at 7:00 pm. Tickets are free but registration is required and can be completed online.

Friday, July 17, 2020

New restaurant "Mr. Egg's Kitchen" to open in Squirrel Hill, July 20.



The restaurant known as "Mr. Egg's Kitchen" will open on July 20, according to new signs on the doors. The menu, and the name, remain to be seen, however, for the Chinese restaurant opening at 2101 and 2103 Murray Ave (map). Permits were first issued for the space in March 2017 and described a noodle restaurant. It was under construction for over three years until being permitted by the county to open in May. In June, however, signage for a hot pot and fresh juice restaurant went up.

Online group screening of Lucky Grandma (幸運的奶奶) with Pitt's SCREENSHOT: Asia and Row House Cinema, July 24.



SCREENSHOT: ASIA, the upcoming Asian film and cultural festival at the University of Pittsburgh, will present an online group screening of Lucky Grandma (幸運的奶奶) with the Row House Cinema on July 24. A New York Times review provides a synopsis:
Cantankerous and fiercely independent, the 80-year-old Grandma Wong (Tsai Chin) wants to live by herself in her Chinatown apartment in New York. Her son, Howard (Eddie Yu), wants her to move in with his family to save on rent. Encouraged by a fortune teller’s promise of imminent luck, she takes all her savings to a casino only to find herself — after some hilariously absurd twists — with a bagful of a dead man’s cash and a pair of gangsters on her tail.
The screening starts at 8:00 pm and registration for the Zoom session is now available. There is a limited number of free student tickets available; those interested should contact asia@pitt.edu. Lucky Grandma is one of three films comprising an online Chinese Film Festival at the Row House Cinema, from July 17 through 30.

Thursday, July 16, 2020

Tickets now available for Denise Ho: Becoming the Song online via The Tull Family Theater, from July 17.



Tickets are now available for Denise Ho: Becoming the Song, online from July 17 via Sewickley's Tull Family Theater. A Hollywood Reporter review provides an overview:
Denise Ho — Becoming the Song presents a thoughtful, if surprisingly reserved portrait, of Hong Kong-born, Montreal-reared singer Denise Ho, the first Cantopop superstar to come out publicly as gay. Not long after weathering the storm that followed, Ho also became a political activist, marching alongside pro-democracy protesters in the 2014 Umbrella movement and supporting protests against China’s new extradition laws for Hong Kong residents, which stirred up violent confrontations in the streets recently.

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Soon-Mi Yoo's Songs from the North (북녘에서 온 노래) online with Pitt's Asian Studies Center, July 22.



The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will present the 2014 Soon-Mi Yoo documentary Songs from the North (북녘에서 온 노래) on July 22, as the second installment of its online Summer Screenshots: Hot Nights And Cold War series. (Please note the date change from the original announcement.) From a New York Times review:
More art-video installation than typical documentary, “Songs From the North” is mostly nonnarrative, drawing on North Korean film and TV clips to sketch a sensibility that — however stoked by propaganda — prizes family above all and melds that with a zealous commitment to the fatherland. Song and music invoke shared ideals of sacrifice, honor and patriotism; one televised event that features a young boy crying as he sings of his love of country — as an audience of dignitaries also sobs — is moving and disturbing.
. . .
Scattering history lessons and ambiguous imagery amid Ms. Yoo’s engagement with North Koreans, her film implicitly asks: What must they think of us?
The presentation runs from 4:00 to 7:00 pm and registration is required.

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Squirrel Hill's Ka Mei to close; last day August 2.



Ka Mei, a Cantonese restaurant in Squirrel Hill since 2006, announced today it will close on August 2.



It is located at 2209 Murray Ave (map) and was routinely named one of the best, and most unique, Chinese restaurants in the area.

Monday, July 13, 2020

Just Order Enterprises Corp. (饭团) hiring Mandarin-speaking Marketing Developer.



Just Order Enterprises Corp. (饭团), known in Canada as Fantuan, is hiring a bilingual Chinese-English Marketing Developer for the Pittsburgh area. As I wrote on July 3, recent job postings by Just Order and Chowbus indicate that more delivery options for Asian restaurants and groceries may be on the way.
Fantuan was founded in Vancouver, Canada in 2014. With a mission of “life made easier,” the company is a one-stop platform providing food delivery (Fantuan Delivery), reviews (Fantuan Reviews), an errand service (Fantuan Rush), e-commerce and marketing services. Fantuan is one of the top Asian life-services platforms in North America, currently operating across Vancouver, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal, Seattle, Los Angeles, New York and other metropolitan areas in Canada and the US.

Jeopardy about Chinese culture/China with Pitt's Chinese Program, July 17.


Chinese Dim Sum, by Lezlie (Creative Commons)

The University of Pittsburgh's Chinese Program will host an online "Jeopardy about Chinese culture/China" on July 17.
Hosted by Pitt Chinese Program & Chinese Language and Culture Club. You will get to learn some interesting facts about China/Chinese. Come and play with us!
The Zoom session runs from 2:00 to 3:00 pm.

Sunday, July 12, 2020

Denise Ho: Becoming the Song online via The Tull Family Theater, from July 17.



Sewickley's Tull Family Theater will present Denise Ho: Becoming the Song online from July 17. A Hollywood Reporter review provides an overview:
Denise Ho — Becoming the Song presents a thoughtful, if surprisingly reserved portrait, of Hong Kong-born, Montreal-reared singer Denise Ho, the first Cantopop superstar to come out publicly as gay. Not long after weathering the storm that followed, Ho also became a political activist, marching alongside pro-democracy protesters in the 2014 Umbrella movement and supporting protests against China’s new extradition laws for Hong Kong residents, which stirred up violent confrontations in the streets recently.
Ticket information is coming soon.

Brew & View: We Are Little Zombies (ウィーアーリトルゾンビーズ) with Row House Cinema, July 31 - August 2.



The Row House Cinema will present an online "Brew & View" with the 2019 Japanese film We Are Little Zombies (ウィーアーリトルゾンビーズ) from July 31 through August 2.
We're rethinking our signature beer and movie events so that you can pair great beer with an amazing film safely at home while Row House Cinema is closed.

Here's how it works:
1.) Pre-order your beer through Eventbrite ($20)
Tickets: https://bit.ly/38PnD7k

2.) Pick up a special 4 pack at Bierport July 31-Aug 2.
(Pssst. You can call ahead to add popcorn to your pickup!)

3.) Rent “We Are Little Zombies” from Row House Online ($12)
(Available 7-31 to 8-13 at rowhousecinema.com)

4.) Crack open a cold one and follow our handy guide for drinking themed beers that pair with key scenes in the movie!

Friday, July 10, 2020

Cool curiosities at Wilkinsburg's Asian Merchandise.


A Sampo Tri-screen Color TV, released circa 1981-2.

One of the larger Asian groceries in the area is probably its least heralded, at least this century: Asian Merchandise Inc in Wilkinsburg, a multi-floor establishment on Penn Ave. (map) that's gone by Pittsburgh Asian Center, Pittsburgh Asian Market, Asian World, and Ou's International. It's also one of the oldest, moving to its present location in 1981 after operating at 757 Penn Ave. from 1978 to 1981. The owner, Chen-Tu Ou, came to Pittsburgh via Taiwan in 1975.

Tickets now available for 2019 documentary Ai Weiwei: Yours Truly (online) at Row House Cinema, from July 10.



The 2019 documentary Ai Weiwei: Yours Truly will play online via Row House Online from July 10. A synopsis from the official site:
Following Ai Weiwei’s detention at the hands of the Chinese authorities, the outspoken artist and activist transformed the former island penitentiary of Alcatraz into an artistic platform. The resulting exhibition engaged nearly 900,000 visitors in a conversation about the plight of prisoners of conscience around the world..
Tickets are now available online. The single-screen Row House Cinema is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map), though it has been screening movies exclusively online during the pandemic.

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Chinese Film Fest (Mini Virtual Film Festival) at Row House Cinema, online from July 17 through 30.



The Row House Cinema will present a Chinese Film Fest (Mini Virtual Film Festival) online from July 17 through 30, featuring the films Lucky Grandma (幸運的奶奶), Ai Weiwei: Yours Truly, and Shanghai Triad (搖啊搖,搖到外婆橋). Tickets will be coming soon.

Bong Joon-ho film Okja watch party with Pitt's Asian Studies Center and OIS, July 15.



The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center and Office of International Services will host a Netflix watch party of the 2017 Bong Joon-ho film Okja on July 15. A June 2017 Atlantic review introduces the film:
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.
The movie starts at 7:00 pm and registration is required.

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

Crazy Rich Asians, free at outdoor drive-ins in Allegheny County parks in August and September.



The movie Crazy Rich Asians will play outdoors in South Park on August 28 and at Hartwood Acres on September 4" as part of the county's "Drive-In Date Night" series of films that are free and open to the public. (This is two weeks later than originally announced by the county.) A summary of the film, from the distributor:
"Crazy Rich Asians” follows native New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) as she accompanies her longtime boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding), to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. Excited about visiting Asia for the first time but nervous about meeting Nick’s family, Rachel is unprepared to learn that Nick has neglected to mention a few key details about his life. It turns out that he is not only the scion of one of the country’s wealthiest families but also one of its most sought-after bachelors. Being on Nick’s arm puts a target on Rachel’s back, with jealous socialites and, worse, Nick’s own disapproving mother (Michelle Yeoh) taking aim. And it soon becomes clear that while money can’t buy love, it can definitely complicate things.
Gates open at 7:00 pm and the movies start at dusk. Spaces are first-come first-served, and the gates will close once the parking lots are full.

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

2019 Vietnamese martial arts film Furie (Hai Phượng), online with Row House Cinema July 10.



The Row House Cinema will present the 2019 Vietnamese martial arts film Furie (Hai Phượng) online on July 10. A synopsis, from the distributor:
When a little girl is kidnapped by a trafficking ring, they soon find they messed with the wrong child. Her mother, a notorious former gang leader (Veronica Ngo, STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI), is close on their trail and will go to any lengths to bring her child home.
It starts at 9:15 pm and tickets are available online.

Sunday, July 5, 2020

New Fuku Tea location on Craig St. opening July 6.



The new Fuku Tea location on Craig St. in Oakland will be open from July 6. It is located at 300 Craig St. (map) in what was formerly Razzy Fresh. It is the neighborhood's second Fuku Tea; the original opened at the corner of Forbes and Oakland Aves. in 2015

Friday, July 3, 2020

More delivery options for Asian restaurants, groceries, potentially on the way to Pittsburgh.



There have been a few job postings in Pittsburgh recently for places like Just Order Enterprises (饭团) and Chowbus, two companies that specialize in delivery services for Asian restaurants and groceries in other cities. Just Order Enterprises is another name for Fantuan, founded in Canada in 2014 as
one of the top Asian life-services platforms in North America, currently operating across Vancouver, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal, Seattle, Los Angeles, New York and other metropolitan areas in Canada and the US.
Chowbus was started in Chicago in 2016 as
a food delivery platform providing high quality, authentic Asian food to its customers in North America
and currently operates in 19 US cities including Ann Arbor, New York, Philadelphia, and Seattle.

Both are currently hiring for positions in Pittsburgh: Just Order Enterprises for a Chinese-speaking City Manager, and Chowbus for a General Manager - Pittsburgh (Chinese Speaking).

I've heard talk for a while about more third-party delivery services coming that would service Asian groceries and restaurants here, but nothing specific. Pittsburgh did briefly have WholeChi (豪吃匹兹堡) circa 2014, which provided home delivery options for local Asian groceries, though the service no longer exists. Neither Fantuan or Chowbus have made public a timetable for any potential expansion to Pittsburgh.

2019 documentary Ai Weiwei: Yours Truly (online) at Row House Cinema, from July 10.


via @YoursTrulyDoc.

The 2019 documentary Ai Weiwei: Yours Truly will play online via Row House Online from July 10. A synopsis from the official site:
Following Ai Weiwei’s detention at the hands of the Chinese authorities, the outspoken artist and activist transformed the former island penitentiary of Alcatraz into an artistic platform. The resulting exhibition engaged nearly 900,000 visitors in a conversation about the plight of prisoners of conscience around the world..
Ticket information will be coming soon. The single-screen Row House Cinema is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map), though it has been screening movies exclusively online during the pandemic.

Thursday, July 2, 2020

July Book Club: See You Again in Pyongyang by Travis Jeppesen with Maridon Museum, July 30.



Butler County's Maridon Museum will read and discuss See You Again in Pyongyang by Travis Jeppesen in its July Book Club meeting on July 30. From a 2018 Los Angeles Times review:
What makes “See You Again in Pyongyang” worth reading is the tension between the bold explorer and the impenetrable country, the feeling of frustration in the face of lies and exclusion and petrified resistance. Jeppesen may get as deep as Pyongyang will allow, at least to an American. That might not make him an expert, but it gives him more cred than most of us: he went, and chances are, we never will.
The meetings will be held in person from 3:00 to 4:00 pm but will also have a Zoom component for people not comfortable gathering at this time. Those interested in registering should call 724-282-0123 or email info@maridon.org. The Maridon Museum is an Asian art museum in Butler County that holds frequent movie screenings, classes, and book club meetings, in addition to the art exhibitions that take place when there isn't a pandemic.

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