Sunday, August 25, 2019

Anime Series at Row House Cinema, September 13 through 19.




The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (時をかける少女), Ghost in the Shell (攻殻機動隊), Akira (アキラ), and Metropolis (メトロポリス) will comprise this fall's Anime Series at Row House Cinema from September 13 through 19. Tickets are now available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

Friday, August 23, 2019

"Materializing Memory: Contemporary Video Art from China," September 5 through October 11 at Pitt.



The University of Pittsburgh's University Art Gallery will host the exhibit "Materializing Memory: Contemporary Video Art from China" from September 5 through October 11.
Exhibited in Pittsburgh for the first time, Materializing Memory presents the work of five young Chinese artists, all born after 1980. These artists are part of China’s balinghou and jiulinghou (post-1980 and post-1990) generations. Unlike earlier practitioners, they came of age following the dramatic economic and cultural reforms of 1978. Through the medium of video art, these artists explore contemporary Chinese society during a period of profound technological and urban transformation. Their work is deeply informed by the Internet, rapid economic development, international communication and exchange, as well as opportunities to earn advanced degrees abroad. These videos document personal and collective experiences. Some record individual feelings of boredom and isolation, while others investigate broader social contradictions and complexities within China and beyond. Together, these works illustrate the plasticity of contemporary experience, and ask what it means to remember during a time when progress accelerates the urge to forget.
The exhibition's opening reception is scheduled from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on September 5; the gallery is open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm weekdays in the Frick Fine Arts Building in Oakland (map).

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Korean-American singer Ronin to perform in Ambridge, August 22.



Korean-American singer Ronin will perform at Mario's Dockside Grille in Ambridge (map) on August 22. Writes the Beaver Valley Times:
Korean-American pop singer named simply Ronin [. . .] will hop on stage Thursday to sing a couple songs at the weekly open mic/jam night at Mario’s Dockside Grille in Bridgewater. These jam nights are co-hosted by Ambridge rocker David Granati, brother of percussionist Rick Granati, who’s friends with Vulpis, hence the local tie.

Ronin might treat his Beaver County audience to his single “Chemical Smile,” now being played by 15 Top-40/pop radio stations from San Francisco to Atlantic City.
He is also performing at Hambone's tonight at 7:00 pm.

Monday, August 19, 2019

My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ) in Pittsburgh, August 25, 26, 28.



The classic Japanese animated film My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ) is will play in Pittsburgh on August 25, 26, and 28 as part of this year's GKIDS Studio Ghibli Fest. From a 2001 Roger Ebert review:
Miyazaki's films are above all visually enchanting, using a watercolor look for the backgrounds and working within the distinctive Japanese anime tradition of characters with big round eyes and mouths that can be as small as a dot or as big as a cavern. They also have an unforced realism in the way they notice details; early in ''Totoro,'' for example, the children look at a little waterfall near their home, and there on the bottom, unremarked, is a bottle someone threw into the stream.

The movie tells the story of two young sisters, Satsuki and Mei Kusakabe. As the story opens, their father is driving them to their new house, near a vast forest. Their mother, who is sick, has been moved to a hospital in this district. Now think about that. The film is about two girls, not two boys or a boy and a girl, as all American animated films would be. It has a strong and loving father, in contrast to the recent Hollywood fondness for bad or absent fathers. Their mother is ill; does illness exist in American animation?
It will play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, North Hills, Pittsburgh Mills, and Robinson. The August 25 and 28 shows are dubbed in English and the August 26 show is in Japanese with English subtitles. Tickets are available online.

Lauren Yee's play "Cambodian Rock Band," with music from Cambodian-American band Dengue Fever, in Pittsburgh from September 14 through October 6.



Lauren Yee's "Cambodian Rock Band" will run at the City Theater from September 14 through October 6. Yee offers a summary:
Discover Cambodia’s lost surf rock scene through the eyes of a young Cambodian American woman and her father, a Khmer Rouge survivor who begrudgingly returns to his home country for the first time in thirty years. This thrilling story toggles back and forth in time, as father and daughter face the music of the past. An intimate rock epic about family secrets set against the dark chapter of Cambodian history. Featuring actor/musicians who perform the show’s mix of contemporary Dengue Fever hits and classic Cambodian oldies.
There has been some interest in Cambodian surf rock music in recent years, with the 2014 documentary Don't Think I've Forgotten playing at the Row House Cinema, Hollywood Theater, and Melwood Screening Room in 2015 and 2016. Dengue Fever has played in Pittsburgh, too, most recently as an opening act in 2017.

Tickets are available online. The theater is located at 1300 Bingham St. in the South Side (map).

10% off at Panda Supermarket, August 19 - 25



Squirrel Hill's Panda Supermarket is offering 10% off everything for its second anniversary, August 19 through 25. The store is located at 5846 Forbes Ave. (map).

Sunday, August 18, 2019

"Storytime: Chinese and English" in Squirrel Hill, August 24.


via Ed Massery.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh branch in Squirrel Hill will hold its next "Storytime: Chinese and English" on Saturday, August 24.
Celebrate our city’s diverse culture as we explore new words through songs, action rhymes and stories in both English and Chinese.
Storytime 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.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Free Mid-Autumn Concert at Rivers Casino with Mai Tiến Dũng, Nguyễn Hồng Nhung, Đặng Thế Luân , and more, September 8.



Rivers Casino (map) will host a free Mid-Autumn Concert on September 8, featuring a number of Vietnamese and Chinese performers. The concert runs from 9 to 11 pm. Tickets are limited and those interested should call 412-566-4615.

BTS's Bring the Soul: The Movie still in Pittsburgh this Saturday and Sunday.



The latest BTS concert film, Bring the Soul: The Movie, will stay in Pittsburgh this weekend, August 17 and 18, at the Cinemark in Robinson.
Following their landmark “Love Yourself” tour, boy band sensation BTS is headed to Pittsburgh’s largest screen in Bring The Soul: The Movie.

Shining brighter than any light on the stage, now the group invite us behind the spotlight. The Rangos Giant Cinema will transport you to the final concert of their Europe tour, on a rooftop in Paris, where BTS tells their very own stories from experiencing new cities to performing in front of thousands of ARMY across the globe.

A glimpse into BTS’ world away from the stage, featuring intimate group discussions alongside spectacular concert performances from the tour, this is a cinema event not to be missed.
It plays at 2:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday, in Korean with English subtitles, and tickets are available online. The Cinemark Robinson Township is located in the Mall at Robinson (map).

Chang Chun Chemical Corporation hiring bilingual Mandarin-English Logistics and Accounting Assistant.

Chang Chun Chemical Corporation in Wexford is hiring a bilingual Mandarin-English Logistics and Accounting Assistant.
Communicating with suppliers in Asia for shipment scheduling, tracking, and importation.

Supporting sales function such as issuing shipping and delivery documents.

Maintaining, filling, updating and keeping of records

Managing stock inventory and sales operation as instructed by the Sales Manager

Handling customers’ payments and vendors' invoices.

Ensuring on-time receiving and out-going payments.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

2016 Taiwanese documentary Small Talk (日常對話) at City of Asylum, November 20.



The 2016 Taiwanese documentary film Small Talk will play in Pittsburgh on November 20, presented by ReelQ.
Anu is a tomboy. Married off at a young age—as was customary in Taiwan in the 1970s—and had two children, Anu soon divorced her violent husband and raised her daughters alone. Since then her only romantic relationships have been with women whom, like her, earn a living as professional mourners at funerals.

It’s considered taboo in Taiwanese culture to question a mother’s love, but that’s exactly the topic of her daughter, Hui-chen Huang’s intimate portrait. Mother and daughter set off on a journey together into the past, during which Hui-chen confronts Anu with questions that have tormented Hui-chen for many years.

In a series of long shots the two women discuss loneliness, trust, and abuse, yet most of these discussions end in painful silence. Shifting focus in order to plumb the depths of their relationship, Hui-chen brings viewers along on her desperate attempts to understand her mother.
It plays from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Alphabet City Word Cellar on the North Side (map), though tickets are not yet available.

JJ Poke Bowl and Taiwanese Bubble Tea opens in Oakland.


via @jjpoke412.

JJ Poke Bowl and Taiwanese Bubble Tea has opened at 110 Atwood St. in Oakland (map), in what was formerly a supplements shop below Popeye's. It held its Grand Opening on August 10.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

"Storytime: Japanese and English" at Carnegie Library in East Liberty, August 20.


via archdaily.org

The next installment of the monthly program "Storytime: Japanese and English" will take place on August 20 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. The library is located at 130 S. Whitfield St. (map).

Monday, August 12, 2019

Korean cyclists raising awareness of "comfort women" in US bike tour will be in Pittsburgh on August 14 and 15.


Passing through in 2018, via 3A Project.

The 2019 iteration of the 3A Project will hit Pittsburgh on August 15, according to the itinerary posted online. The 3A Project is an annual nationwide tour by two Korean university students to raise awareness of "comfort women" and the contentious politics surrounding their legacy. The group is arriving in Los Angeles on June 24, heading east through the summer, and leaving Detroit for Pittsburgh on August 12. The cyclists have made Pittsburgh part of its national bike tour the last two years.

Kusama: Infinity screening at Mattress Factory, August 15.



The Mattress Factory, which hosts two permanent installations by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, will hold a screening of the documentary Kusama: Infinity on August 15.
Get to know the artist behind the polka dots. Join us for a special screening of Kusama: Infinity, a documentary that looks at the life and work of Mattress Factory artist Yayoi Kusama, the top-selling female artist in the world.

Along with the film, you can experience Infinity Dots, Mirrored Room and Repetitive Vision, two Kusama rooms that are part of the Mattress Factory’s permanent collection, and explore photos and items – think a polka dot chair! – from Kusama’s Mattress Factory installation in 1996.
Tickets are $20 for the general public and $15 for students and Mattress Factory members. The movie runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, and the museum is located at 500 Sampsonia Way in the North Side (map).

Sunday, August 11, 2019

William Tsutsui and "Godzilla on my Mind," 1954's Gojira (ゴジラ ) October 16 at Pitt.



Dr. William Tsutsui will speak on "Godzilla on my Mind" and introduce a screening of the original Japanese Godzilla film on October 16 as part of the University of Pittsburgh's International Week. A synospis of Tsutsui's book of the same name:
Ever since Godzilla (or, Gojira, as he is known in Japan) crawled out of his radioactive birthplace to cut a swath of destruction through Tokyo, he has claimed a place alongside King Kong and others in the movie monster pantheon. He is the third most recognizable Japanese celebrity in the United States, and his fan base continues to grow as children today prove his enduring appeal. Now, Bill Tsutsui, a life-long fan and historian, takes a light-hearted look at the big, green, radioactive lizard, revealing how he was born and how he became a megastar. With humorous anecdotes, Godzilla on My Mind explores his lasting cultural impact on the world. This book is sure to be welcomed by pop culture enthusiasts, fans, and historians alike.
The event runs from 6:30 to 9:00 pm in the William Pitt Union Assembly Room (map).

2019 Japanese movie Kingdom (キングダム) in Pittsburgh from August 20.



he 2019 Japanese movie Kingdom (キングダム), a live-action adaptation of the Japanese manga, will play in Pittsburgh from August 20 through 22. The movie will be released stateside on the 16th, though no longer appears to be playing from that date as earlier announced. A synopsis from the distributor:
Orphaned by war, a young boy and his friend dream of changing their fate and becoming the world’s greatest generals. And after his friend sacrifices himself to protect
the future emperor, the young boy’s path to greatness is set in motion.

Helping the King reclaim the throne puts the boy’s blade to the ultimate test as they go against deadly assassins, large armies, and the dangerous mountain clan.

In a country torn apart by war, only they can fight to unite the warring states!
Released in Japan on April 19, it's the second highest-grossing domestic movie of the year there. The movie will play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront theater and tickets are available online. The theater is located at 300 West Waterfront Dr. in the Waterfront shopping complex in Homestead (map), across the Monongahela River from Greenfield, Squirrel Hill, and the rest of Pittsburgh.

Saturday, August 10, 2019

New restoration of 2002 Satoshi Kon film Millennium Actress (千年女優) in Pittsburgh, August 13 and 19.



The 2002 Satoshi Kon film Millennium Actress (千年女優) will play in Pittsburgh on August 13 and August 19. The distributor provides a synopsis:
Experience the gorgeous new restoration of what many believe to be Satoshi Kon’s (Perfect Blue, Paprika) greatest work, MILLENNIUM ACTRESS.

When the legendary Ginei Studios shuts down, filmmaker Genya Tachibana and his assistant are tasked with interviewing its reclusive star, Chiyoko Fujiwara, who had retired from the spotlight 30 years prior. As she recounts her career, Genya and his crew are literally pulled into her memories where they witness her chance encounter with a mysterious man on the run from the police. Despite never knowing his name or his face, Chiyoko relentlessly pursues that man in a seamless blend of reality and memory that only Satoshi Kon could deliver. Boasting countless awards, including the Grand Prize in the Japan Agency of Cultural Affairs Media Arts Festival, which it shared with Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away, MILLENNIUM ACTRESS is a must-see for anime fans of all ages.
The August 13 shows will be in Japanese with English subtitles and the August 19 shows will be dubbed in English. The Japanese-language version will play locally at the Southside Works Cinema and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, the North Hills and Robinson, while the dubbed version will play at the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, North Hills, Pittsburgh Mills, and Robinson. Tickets are available online.

Friday, August 9, 2019

Library orientations for new Chinese, Japanese, Korean students at Pitt: August 14 - 16.



The University of Pittsburgh's Hillman Library will host library orientations for new Chinese, Japanese, and Korean students from August 14 - 16.
Would you like to know...
  • A librarian who speaks your native language?
  • The difference between academic libraries in the U.S. and libraries in your home country?
  • The many wonderful services that the library offers to help your area of study and research at Pitt?
  • If so, please come to attend one of the library orientation sessions.
Chinese sessions:
Japanese session
Korean session

Sessions are free but seating is limited and registration is required (and can be completed online).

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

2019 Pittsburgh Chinese Culture Festival, September 14 at Mellon Park.


via @pghccc

The annual Pittsburgh Chinese Culture Festival will be held this year on September 14 at Mellon Park.
The Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival celebrates the rich culture of China, past and present, through entertainment, music, art, food and exhibits.

This fun filled day includes: local performances, renowned UNESCO Masters of Arts & Crafts from Wuhan, China, food from Pittsburgh’s BEST Chinese Restaurants and exhibits of handcrafted items, information and much more!
It runs from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm at Mellon Park in Shadyside (map) and is free and open to the public.

(G)I-dle's "Senorita" at next (and final) K-pop Dance Class, August 10.



The weekly K-pop Dance Class at Yanlai Dance Academy will do (G)I-dle's "Senorita" for its tenth and final meeting on August 10. The class is held each Saturday from 4:00 to 5:00 pm, and the cost is $18 for a drop-in session. Yanlai Dance Academy is located at 2260 Babcock Blvd. in the North Hills (map).