Pirates lose Taiwanese pitcher in Rule 5 draft.

The Pittsburgh Pirates lost one of its two Taiwanese minor-league players to the Milwaukee Brewers on December 12 in the Rule 5 draft. Pitcher Wei-chung Wang was signed by Pittsburgh in 2011, was injured during the 2012 season, pitched at the Pirates' lowest level last year, and was selected by Milwaukee in "the day's most creative selection". The signing means Wang, 21, will have to pitch in the Major Leagues next season in order for the Brewers to keep him. Pirates Prospects has more on Wang and the day's other activities.

Build yourself a Himeji Castle.

A nanoblock Himeji Castle model, seen at the Waterworks Mall Barnes & Noble. It goes for around $160, and is described thus by its manufacturer:

With micro-sized building blocks, 3D buildings are constructed like never before! Watch in amazement as buildings are erected to even the tiniest detail.

Japan’s hilltop Himeji Castle is regarded as the finest surviving example of prototypical Japanese castle architecture. Watch as this gorgeous castle takes shape right beneath your fingertips with over 2200 assorted color and size pieces, perfect for any nanoblock enthusiasts. Finished size: 7.9” w x 7.9” d x 5.625”. Includes detailed instructions. Not designed for children under age 14.

Last April I found a discontinued Lego Sungnyemun kit at the Cranberry Barnes & Noble, though as I posted at the time, if you're into Korean architecture or models, Korean companies produce more, and better, sets.

This variety of Teumsae Ramyeon is three times as spicy as Shin Ramyeon, says an improvised in Many More Asian Market at 3050 Smallman St. It opened in October, and because of the prices, selection, and parking, it's my new go-to Asian grocery store in the area.

"A Window to Japanese Culture", T'ai Chi classes at Pitt's Lifelong Learning Institute this spring.

The University of Pittsburgh's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute offers non-credit classes for adults aged 50 and over, and this spring's course catalog includes "A Window to Japanese Culture" and three levels of T'ai Chi.

Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo (ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版：Q) at Dormont's Hollywood Theater, January 10 and 11.

On December 2, The Hollywood Theater in Dormont announced it will show Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo (ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版：Q) on January 10 and 11. It's the third installment of the Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy, of which the eponymous EvaWiki has lengthy summaries.

The 2012 movie is being released in North America on January 10, and The Hollywood Theater will be the only one in the state showing it. Tickets are $10 and are available now online for both English-subtitled and English-dubbed shows:

- January 10, 7 pm (subtitled)
- January 10, 9 pm (dubbed)
- January 11, 7 pm (dubbed)
- January 11, 9 pm (subtitled)

The theater is located at 1449 Potomac Ave. in Dormont (map), south of Pittsburgh. And if you'd like to take the subway to the theater, it's a little more than a block southeast of Potomac Station.

"Pearl Harbor tarnishes American dream".

Thirty-two years ago the Beaver County Times marked the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack by talking with Squirrel Hill resident Harold Sasahara about his and his family's journey from California to Japanese internment camp to Ohio and eventually to Pittsburgh.

Documentary Danny from North Korea at Duquesne University, December 7.

Students for Human Rights will present the Liberty in North Korea documentary Danny from North Korea at Duquesne University on Saturday, December 7. LiNK describes the subject of their film thus:

Every year thousands of North Koreans make the dangerous journey across the border to escape oppression and poverty.

In March of 2005, Danny was one of them. Danny crossed into China and escaped a life of indoctrination, routine public executions, and starvation. As Danny traveled, he saw a world he never knew existed. A world where movement was not monitored by the government, information was readily available, and most importantly at the time, there was enough food to fill his empty belly.

The film is free and starts at 7:00 pm in room 105 College Hall (map). Those not attending can watch it on the Liberty in North Korea website.

Yayoi Kusama is still here.

"Jazz hands" in Repetitive Vision in the Mattress Factory, via imagesystem (Creative Commons). Not what's on display in New York City, but the best image available on Flickr.

On December 1, the New York Times writes about visitors lining up for a new installation, Yayoi Kusama's "Mirrored Room", that opened in November at the David Zwirner Gallery in Chelsea.

“Mirrored Room” offers a little something for everyone. It is a reflection on death and the afterlife. It is a planetarium contained in a room the size of a large walk-in closet. Cosmic and intimate at the same time, it merges inner and outer space, science and mysticism, the personal and the impersonal.

According to the gallery's website, "[o]n some days the wait is between 1 and 3 hours."

As the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reminds us, though, locals can see a version of it at the Mattress Factory.

Fans of Ms. Kusama can have a similar experience with a lot less trouble at the Mattress Factory museum on the North Side, where two of the largest extant Kusama installations remain on long-term view from a 1996 retrospective, "Infinity Dots Mirrored Room" and "Repetitive Vision." Both have the repeating hall-of-mirrors quality, one bright, the other darkened, a contrast of exterior and interior in one visit. And "there's no time limit," said Alexis Tragos, museum director of development.

The museum is located at 500 Sampsonia Way on the Northside (map), and its webpage has more information on Kusama's permanent exhibitions.

Korean sandwich chain Sandpresso closes its Pittsburgh location.

Sandpresso announced today on its Facebook page that it closed its Pittsburgh location over the summer.

With great sadness, Sand Presso Coffee Shop closed on August 2, 2013. To all our customers we thank you for your business and support. It has been our honor & pleasure to serve you this past 2 years. We will miss you!

Sandpresso (샌드프레소) is a coffee and sandwich shop in South Korea common in and around the capital, and one of many that offers expensive-but-wimpy sandwiches there. It arrived in Pittsburgh in September 2011, the first and only Sandpresso in the country, and was the subject of one of this blog's first posts. It was located at 1125 Penn Ave., between the Strip District and downtown, and had some good reviews---"the best egg salad I've ever eaten in my life"---but ultimately couldn't survive with limited hours, an awkward location, and high rent.

Fukuda's Toro Fest 2013, December 10 - 16.

Bloomfield's Fukuda restaurant is holding Toro Fest 2013, "Pittsburgh's First Annual Toro Fest", from December 10 through 16. A summary of events posted to their Facebook page and reiterated on the above flyer:

Whole Bluefin Tuna cutting demo, Bonsai creation demo, Japanese language and culture class, Sushi making sessions, and delectable fish will be flown in from all over the world with an exquisite menu never before seen in Pittsburgh during the festivities only at Fukuda.

The toro in this festival's name refers to specific part of a blue fin tuna, again depicted on the flyer. Fukuda is located at 4770 Liberty Ave. (map).