via @IndustryPittsburghApartments
via @IndustryPittsburghApartments
Our staff at White Whale loves to celebrate debut authors! We are ecstatic to welcome Katie Yee to our store to celebrate the publication of her taut, wry, and glorious debut fiction novel about a woman who spins tragedy into comedy when her life falls apart: MAGGIE; OR A MAN AND A WOMAN WALK INTO A BAR. Katie will be joined in conveersation by writer, editor, and great friend of Whte Whale, Robert Yune.
A Chinese American woman spins tragedy into comedy when her life falls apart in a taut, wry debut novel that grapples with grief, motherhood, and myths—perfect for fans of Joan Is Okay and Crying in H Mart.
A man and a woman walk into a restaurant. The woman expects a lovely night filled with endless plates of samosas. Instead, she finds out her husband is having an affair with a woman named Maggie.
A short while after, her chest starts to ache. She walks into an examination room, where she finds out the pain in her breast isn’t just heartbreak—it’s cancer. She decides to call the tumor Maggie.
Unfolding in fragments over the course of the ensuing months, Maggie; Or, a Man and a Woman Walk Into a Bar follows the narrator as she embarks on a journey of grief, healing, and reclamation. She starts talking to Maggie (the tumor), getting acquainted with her body’s new inhabitant. She overgenerously creates a “Guide to My Husband: A User’s Manual” for Maggie (the other woman), hoping to ease the process of discovering her ex-husband’s whims and quirks. She turns her children’s bedtime stories into retellings of Chinese folklore passed down by her own mother, in an attempt to make them fall in love with their shared culture—and to maybe save herself in the process.
In the style of Jenny Offill and the tradition of Nora Ephron’s hilarious and devastating writing on heartbreak and womanhood, Maggie is a master class in transforming personal tragedy into a form of defiant comedy.
As a Navy brat, ROBERT YUNE moved 11 times by the time he turned 18. After graduating from Pitt, he lived in Pittsburgh for the next 15 years. In the summer of 2012, he worked as a stand-in for George Takei and has appeared as an extra in commercials and movies such as Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and Fathers and Daughters. Yune’s fiction has been published in Green Mountains Review, The Kenyon Review, and Pleiades, among others. In 2009, he received a writing fellowship from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. In 2015, his debut novel Eighty Days of Sunlight was nominated for the International DUBLIN Literary Award. His debut story collection Impossible Children won the Mary McCarthy Prize and was published by Sarabande Books. Yune serves on the board of Autumn House Press and lives in West Virginia.
KATIE YEE is a writer from Brooklyn. She has received fellowships from the Center for Fiction, the Asian American Writers’ Workshop, and Kundiman. Her work has appeared in the Los Angeles Review of Books, No Tokens, The Believer, the Washington Square Review, Triangle House, Epiphany, and Literary Hub. By day, she works at the Brooklyn Museum. By night, she writes, usually under the watch of her judgmental rescue dog, Ollie.
The event runs from 7:00 to 8:00 pm and takes place in-person at the bookstore and online through a livestream. Registration for either can be completed online and the book is available for pre-order through White Whale Bookstore as well. The bookstore is located at 4754 Liberty Ave. in Bloomfield (map).
Welcome to Togyu Asian Barbecue & Bar—Pittsburgh’s premier destination for refined Korean and Japanese-style barbecue. Conceived by two brothers with a profound appreciation for the artistry of authentic Asian cuisine, Togyu was born from a desire to introduce an elevated culinary experience unlike any other in the city.Initially announced in March, it is one of several all-you-can-eat Korean-style BBQ places announced for the Pittsburgh area in the last couple years, but the first for Cranberry.
Drawing inspiration from the vibrant dining culture of cities like Seoul and Tokyo, we’ve curated an environment where elegance meets tradition.
Guests are invited to indulge in the highest quality Angus Prime beef, expertly paired with the freshest locally sourced vegetables, all prepared to perfection at the table. Every detail is designed to enhance the senses—from the richness of the ingredients to the ambiance that surrounds each meal.
Something has surfaced in Tokyo Bay. As the Prime Minister of Japan pleads with the public to remain calm, a horrific creature of tremendous size makes landfall in the city, leaving death and destruction in its wake. Then it evolves. The government scrambles to assemble a task force to research and combat the monster. The next morning, an envoy from the US Department of State delivers a folder of classified documents bearing the name: “GODZILLA.” From visionary directors Shinji Higuchi and Hideaki Anno, Shin Godzilla offers a thrilling origin story to one of cinema’s greatest creations. Propelled by astounding visual effects and rapid-fire dialogue, Shin Godzilla is equal parts pulse-pounding action film and venomous political satire, worthy of the franchise’s towering history.It is scheduled to play locally, so far, at the Cinemark theater in Robinson and the AMC Westmoreland 15 in Greensburg, and tickets are available online.
From Seoul to Los Angeles, Texas to Mexico City, BTS ARMY is everywhere. FOREVER WE ARE YOUNG dives into the passionate fandom that catapulted 21st century pop icons BTS into a global household name. We meet fans at a BTS-focused ReactorCon in Lewisville, Texas, a dance instructor in Seoul who only teaches BTS choreography, and fans who’ve been organizing since 2013 to help BTS dominate the charts. Defying stereotypes of pop fans as screaming teen girls, ARMY is an intergenerational, culturally savvy, and socially active movement that is as diverse as the world itself. The film captures the powerful spirit of activism and collectivity that make ARMY a symbol of hope and unity in our ever-fractured world.It is scheduled to play locally at the Cinemark theaers in McCandless and Monaca and tickets are available online.
✨ What’s This All About?Join us for a heartwarming and hands-on day of storytelling, art, and cultural connection! As part of the Taiwan World Portrait Project’s 2025 North America Tour, this workshop invites you to reflect on your family traditions (biological or chosen!), migration journeys, and cherished memories — and then bring them to life through the magical medium of lightbox art.Led by acclaimed Taiwanese educator and artist Mr. Chen Yu-He (陳雨禾), you’ll learn how to transform your personal stories into glowing works of art using drawing, paper cutting, and light. Whether you come solo, with friends, or as a multi-generational family, you’ll create a beautiful, handmade lightbox that celebrates your heritage and creativity.Pittsburgh is the 6th stop on the “World Portraits: Starting from Taiwan’s Collective Creative Experience” tour, which includes workshops in Salt Lake City, San Diego, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Seattle, and Chicago. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to be part of a creative movement!🎨 What Will I Do?
- Reflect on your family history, migration stories, or cultural traditions in your biological or chosen family
- Sketch meaningful people, places, or objects from your memories
- Learn paper cutting techniques to create layered visual scenes
- Assemble and light up your own story lightbox
- Share and connect with others in an intercultural setting to celebrate our diversity
Sabrina Wu is a New York based actor, writer, and stand-up comedian. They made their feature film debut in the Lionsgate comedy JOY RIDE, from executive producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and director Adele Lim. They’ve also guest starred in ABBOTT ELEMENTARY, and are a series regular in MURDERBOT starring Alexander Skarsgard on Apple TV+.
Why'd We Book It?
Sabrina Wu is one to watch, and their talent shines both on screen and on stage, and we're lucky to have them this July at Bottlerocket! Sabrina's ability to deliver quick, witty, impressions and interact with the crowd exemplifies an energy that is genuinely funny as well as relatable. As fans of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, we loved Sabrina on ABC's Abbott Elementary, and we know you will love Sabrina's stand up set, too!
