Dakota Weiss, the executive chef of Ninethirty restaurant at the W Los Angeles – Westwood, isn’t your standard stove slave. For starters, the 35 year-old SoCal native is tatooed up the wazoo. She wears a skull ring and a knife pendant around her neck. And the only time you’ll catch her in flats — ever — is when she’s in the kitchen, clad in a pair of patent leather Dansko clogs (“They’ve got to be patent,” she insists).
Weiss is a longtime hotel hound, having spent six years cooking at the Ritz-Carlton in both Atlanta and Marina del Rey before stints at the Sunset Tower and the Shangri-La in Santa Monica. And this past January, she moved over to the W in Westwood, where she now helms the hotel’s swank-yet-casual Ninethirty.
When Weiss isn’t crafting her signature parsnip gratin or lobster and brie sliders, she’s eating at another restaurant in town. You see, Weiss doesn’t cook at home. “I don’t even own a knife.” she says.
So just where does this pro like to hang her hat? We caught up with Weiss while sitting around the serene backyard pool at her hotel and got the low-down on her favorite drinking and dining spots in town.
1. The Fat Dog: “They have a amazing beer and cocktails and a big patio. And I can bring my dog.” 801 N Fairfax Ave., LA. thefatdogLA.com
2. Saddle Ranch: “For people-watching purposes, only. They have a decent brunch. Not to mention all the bartenders are drop dead gorgeous.” 8371 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. srrestaurants.com
3. Katsuya Brentwood: “It’s been around for a few years now, but I still love it.” 11777 San Vicente Blvd., LA. sbe.com/katsuya
4. Red O: “There’s a great energy, but it feels super romantic, too.” 8155 Melrose Ave., LA. redorestaurant.com
5. Maison 140: “A hotel that’s a total hidden gem, so comfortable. One of my favorite places in L.A.” 140 S. Lasky Dr., Beverly Hills. maison140beverlyhills.com
And of course Weiss can also be found in her own kitchen at Ninethirty at the W Los Angeles – Westwood. 930 Hilgard Ave., LA. (310) 208-8765. wlosangeles.com
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On Friday evening, the design-minded masses along with LACMA Muse and the Los Angeles Art Association flocked to 
Landscape,” a yard-long cluster of plaster cast pill bottles and toiletries meant to replicate a miniature city. The work provided me with a sense of pride that if I one day decide to clean out my medicine drawer and paint the bottles red I too could compose the city of my dreams.
Just how much is Joan Jett worth? Apparently one thousand big ones, which was the going rate for non-VIPs to see the iconic rocker and her Blackhearts band shred the stage at Harry O’s in Park City last night. A curbside melee went down as hundreds of fans, passersby and scenesters stood in frigid temps just toplead their case for admission to bouncers. We heard bribes, lies, fakery and begging. One pleasant movie-exec even accousted a member of our own party after pinning her against the steel barricades in a rush to the front.
Though a rather nasty case of ADD prevents me from sitting through most feature length films, I’ve arrived at the Sundance Film Festival nonetheless. All weekend long I’ll be bringing you the style scoop from screenings, soirees and, of course, gifting suites (it wouldn’t be a proper film fest without some swag, after all). Though I’ve only been here a couple hours, I’ve so far spotted a ludicrous amount of skinny jeans, plaid shirts and knit skull caps that lead me to believe I’m at Teddy’s on a Friday night and not actually Utah.
Decked out in their finest leather motorcycle jackets, skinny jeans and scary-high platforms, the stylish set turned out for Strokes singer Julian Casablancas‘ solo show at the Downtown Palace Theater last night.
Whatever inconsistencies may plague L.A. Fashion Week, you know you’re not in for amateur hour when taking your seat at Kevan Hall. The red carpet veteran staged an elaborate and tantalizing show deep inside Universal Studios on Saturday evening, with models materializing from a faux-Parthenonesque façade and descending black, plush-carpeted stairs in gold jacquard gowns and taffeta cocktail dresses with the origami pleats and folds. The show was hosted by auto dealer Rusnak, which exhibited a squadron of six-figure luxury cars on the lot, fawned over by scores of gated-community dwellers (Westlake Village? Calabasas? Hard to tell.) who attended with Jimmy Choos and ample cigars.
In creating my debut collection for Maison Francis Kurkdjian, I was inspired by the people closest to me. I observed the way they live. I am like a sponge, capturing the essence and the esprit of our world today. My Maison, which marries tradition and cutting-edge technology, is a tribute to Paris. It’s dedicated to the great joys and simple pleasures of life. A Piece Of Me (APOM), for instance, was inspired by my trip to Lebanon a few years ago. We were traveling on a road lined with cedar trees and we drank what the locals there call white coffee which is just a hint of orange flower oil infused in hot water. It was sublime. Lumiere Noire was inspired by my friend, the great actress Catherine Deneuve. She has a cool aura of mystery and a natural warmth about her at the same time.
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, a bejeweled Judith Leiber clutch is as recognizable as arm candy comes.
Nightlife impresario Brent Bolthouse, a key figure behind the success of L.A. hotspots including Hyde Lounge and Chef Michael Mina’s XIV restaurant, has left Sam Nazarian’s SBE Entertainment Group, confirmed to Style Section L.A. by Bolthouse’s rep.