Gossip Should Have No Friends

[October 3rd, 2007] Local writer Kevin Allman is splashin’ some cold water on the warm fuzzies found in New York Times wine critic Eric Asimov ’s Wednesday, Sept. 26 story about the joys of dining in Portland. The piece included a flattering review and photo of Northwest Portland bistro Paley’s Place . Allman, who occasionally contributes to WW , revealed on his blog, kevinallman.com, that Asimov is pretty cozy with Paley’s owners, Vitaly and Kimberly Paley . Paley’s mom is Asimov’s teenage son’s piano teacher. The Paleys referred to Asimov as their “good friend” in a press release for a wine event they held in his honor. Allman isn’t disputing the quality of the restaurant’s food or dogging the Paleys’ hospitality; it’s all about Asimov’s ethics for not telling readers about his relationship with the lauded restaurant’s owners. Allman emailed Asimov and received a short note back asserting: “1. The fact that Vitaly Paley’s mother is my younger son’s piano teacher is irrelevant to the story. 2. In retrospect, I probably should not have participated in the wine event at Paley’s Place.” And, No. 3, we’d argue, Asimov should’ve told his readers the whole story.

FIRE LIGHT: As we noted on wweek.com last Thursday, the local artsy set quickly mobilized to help well-known painter Michael Brophy after a Sept. 23 fire severely damaged his studio . However, the community seemed to have overlooked Michael L. Wilson , another local artist whose work went up in smoke in the same blaze. Wilson jumped out his second-story window to safety when the roof began collapsing. He lost his two cats, his motorcycle and majority of his art supplies to the fire. Rake Gallery’s Jeremy Tucker has announced a benefit to help Wilson get back on his feet (2 pm Sunday, Oct. 14, 325 NW 6th Ave., $25). Plus, Tucker and fellow gallery owner Mark Woolley also agreed to exhibit one of Wilson’s paintings in Woolley’s October group show, giving any sales proceeds to Wilson.

CLARIFICATION (_*_): In last week’s feature on asshole bleaching and other odd spa practices we noted that no local spa owned up to performing the anal procedure, but that Zen Space and the Face Place were good places to call for more info. That assertion was based on a quote from Zen Space employee Amanda Anderson, who told writer Laura Shinn, “We’ll connect you with aestheticians who know more about delicate skin issues,” and the Face Place’s acknowledgement that it’d consider braving the orifice of a “regular client.” Well, Zen Space’s Anderson emailed WW to clarify the salon “does i]not[/i] provide anal bleaching .” She says that’s what she had to tell people who called to schedule appointments . Did you catch that? People actually called to schedule butthole-bleaching appointments! We love this town.