Entertainment

Washington, DC – “Pages of Beauty and Madness” explores the rich history of Japanese literature — from classic novels to modern manga — through film adaptations from Japan, Korea, Cambodia and France. These classic and critically acclaimed film adaptations are precious and rarely seen since their original release in the cinema. Three films will be offered free of charge at …

By Jennie L. Ilustre Khanh Nguyen and his family lost their homes and livelihood when Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast in 2004, leaving destruction and desolation in its wake. “We were used to hurricanes come and go, and didn’t take the warnings seriously,” Khanh recalled. One of his sisters just built a new brick house, which was supposed …

Hidden Menu Series Every month for our Hidden Menu series, our writer and resident foodie Daphne Domingo explores area Asian American restaurants and recommends dishes that may not be on the menu but are certainly worth the try. By Daphne Domingo Tucked into the ground floor of 7 Corners Medical Arts Building in Falls Church is an old-fashioned looking diner …

By Jenny Chen Washington, DC – It’s 2pm. The Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University seems clenched with anticipation. Nervous energy rockets from wall to wall. Young people with badges that have “Staff” stamped across them are setting up tables, organizing tickets and VIP bracelets. In the back, sound checks and light checks. A man in a dress shirt and …

By Jennie L. Ilustre  Photos: JLI BALTIMORE, Maryland–Two years after the project began, Towson University formally launched “Art Filipino: Works by Master Artists,” on September 14. This is the university’s first exhibit showcasing works of Filipino American artists in the area, as well as treasures by Filipino National Artists and masters like Amorsolo, Joya and Rodriguez. The project was the …

By Whitney Pipkin My face was still ringed with sweat when Chef Erik Bruner-Yang stopped by to see how we liked the first course. It was a traditional Khmer papaya salad called Bok Lahong, paired with an equally adventurous Taiwanese pig’s blood cake. “Spicy,” I said of the salad, which I still couldn’t stop eating, “but the cake helps.” He …

By Yi Chen  Founded in 2003, the DC Shorts Film Festival was created by DC-based filmmaker, Jon Gann. Frustrated that many festivals were focused on money and sponsors and not films and filmmakers, he decided to start his own event, focusing on the form he loves – shorts. “For me, it’s about connections,” said Gann. “I try to program the …

By Jenny Chen When Gene Yang was a child, he would sneak to the local comic book store in Cupertino, Ca. by asking his mother to drop him off at the library, walking 10 minutes to the comic book store, and then hiding his comic books in huge tomes from the library so that his mother would never suspect that …

This month, Asian Fortune is launching its poetry series – a space for local APA poets to share their art, stories, and moments. We encourage all APA poets in the D.C. metropolitan area to submit their work. More information on monthly themes, eligibility guidelines, and prompts can be found on our website: http://www.asianfortunenews.com/poetry-submissions/ Happy writing! A Good Cookie Every Sunday …

By Jenny Chen It is the 1970s and Ho Chi Minh city is in shambles. American boots thunder throughout the city; the streets are crawling with the poor and destitute. This is the setting for Signature Theatre’s production of Miss Saigon – a play based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera Madame Butterfly, and the eleventh longest running Broadway show in musical …

Alexandria, VA—The second annual Vietfest kicked off Saturday with the aroma of spring rolls and pho in the air and touching tributes to South Vietnamese and American war veterans. The theme of the festival this year showcased the three culturally distinct, yet unified, regions of the country of Vietnam; the north, the central, and the south.   Located outdoors at …

By Amanda L. Andrei This is the penultimate installment in a series of food tours by our resident foodie, Amanda Andrei. Our next stop will be right here in Washington, DC! Back in high school, seniors used to do the Philly Cheesesteak Challenge. You checked into your first class in the morning. When the right time came to escape, you …

“Dreamer” By: Ram, 10th grade Asian American LEAD’s (AALEAD) MD High School Program I am a dreamer… And often I question: “What is real?” Is it the life I’m living, the dreams I’m dreaming Or is it me…just me? To know another you must know yourself And that’s when you reveal your voice The voice buried by social anxiety, parental …

By Mary Tablante As a college student unsatisfied with his decision to study to be an accountant, Kenneth Choi hopped on a Greyhound bus from Chicago to Portland to begin taking acting lessons without telling his parents where he was going. Within three-and-a-half years of studying acting, Choi obtained a Screen Actors Guild card, an agent and a manager. But …

By Yi Chen Washington, DC – The Korean Cultural Center, also known as KORUS House, is located in the Embassy Row neighborhood along Massachusetts Ave. NW. The brick house is near Sheridan Circle, only a few blocks from the Embassy of South Korea. The building’s Dynamic Hall and Digital Culture Hall on the first floor have been temporarily converted into …

By Jenny Chen Boys in tawny hair, starched white shirts, and make-up lounged along the walls of the Baltimore Convention Center. They were accompanied with various incarnations of Totoro, and girls carrying foam daggers. Welcome to Otakon 2013 – or at least, the outside of it. All the thinly veiled warnings from my friends when they heard that I was …

Asian Fortune is an English language newspaper for Asian American professionals in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Visit fb.com/asianfortune to stay up to date with our news and what’s going on in the Asian American community.

By Easten Law As the nation’s capital, D.C. welcomes persons from all over the country and the world, 17.9 million visitors in 2011 alone. Many emerge from the Gallery Place/Chinatown metro in awe of our city’s grand Chinese archway, which is the symbol for Chinatowns across the nation. Sadly, that awe often melts into confusion as they wander H and …

By Jennie L. Ilustre “Folks,” emcee Jon Melegrito quipped when storm suddenly broke out, barely an hour after the annual Philippine Community Picnic and Sports Competition kicked off, “mud wrestling has just been added to our sports competition — any takers?” There were no takers, of course, at the Tucker Road Recreation Park in Fort Washington, Maryland. But a new …

By Michelle Phipps-Evans A warm Saturday in June attracted several people to the annual Lotus & Water Lily Festival at the Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens in Northeast Washington, D.C. Visitors enjoyed a display of lotus and water lilies in full bloom, gardening workshops, traditional Asian and African dancing performances, face painting, lotus tea tasting, art creations and more. Co-sponsored …

By Jewel Edwards Q’s face morphs into a glare as she points her finger at the audience. Affecting a thick Indian accent, she scolds us. Her mother’s words, replete with her mother’s cadence, and her mothers stance, ring out into the theater.  A second ago, she was a sassy teenage version of herself wearing gold hoops, and before that, a …

From July 18-21, OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates hosted their national convention at the Omni Shoreham hotel in Washington, D.C. The convention included a preliminary screening of the documentary film “Linsanity”, workshops on activism, a politics plenary session, and a star studded gala, which closed the event. — Were you at the OCA conference? Share your photos with us …

On Sunday, June 23, Pacific Culture International hosted the 2013 Pacific Miss Asian America Beauty Pageant semi-finals. The following finalists will be competing at Strathmore on September 6, 2013:  Vania Cao, Catherine Ho, Amy Kao, Emily Duong, Kathy Shi, Doreen Yan, Haley Bui, Rosie Zhang, Emma Li, Esther Kim, Sherri Zhang, Stella Mach, Meng Wang, Ruby Park, Chelsea Li.   …

By Yi Chen Washington, DC – Chinese American philosopher and social activist Grace Lee Boggs is the subject of Korean American filmmaker Grace Lee’s latest documentary “American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs.” The documentary won the Audience Award at the 2013 Los Angeles Film Festival and premiered at the AFI Docs in Silver Spring for its east coast …