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 at work crafting her signature parsnip gratin or lobster and brie sliders that could make a perfectly suitable last meal, 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 by 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 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

Living in L.A. has many perks, and one of them is that visitors always flock from all corners of the country to enjoy our sunshine, beaches and reality star-filled establishments — especially during the summer. And to thank our loved ones for allowing us to be the ones who get to bypass our nation’s lovely (and efficient!) airlines, we like to show them one hell of a time from the second they arrive.

So we consulted the curators at Gilt City, the groovy daily deals company that puts together exclusive packages of discounted spa treatments, restaurant meals and entertainment extravaganzas at cool venues all over town, to find out just where we should take our summer house guests. They put together itineraries for four different types of vacationers: Your cool older sister who happens to be a new mom, a pair of cultured in-laws, your twenty-something Midwestern college roommate and your sports-and-burger loving pop.

Just make sure you “complain” about our smog, traffic and high-concentration of douches while you’re engaging in the below activities. They’re so good, you may never get rid of your temporary tourists otherwise.

The itineraries, after the jump:

The restaurant at Malibu Beach Inn

1. For your new mommy sister who needs some R & R

“Shutters in Santa Monica is the ideal place to getaway and  experience luxury on the beach. With a balcony overlooking the Pacific Ocean, you’ll be begging the babysitter to stay home for a couple more days. Start your morning walk along the beach with a stop for breakfast at Cora’s Coffee Shop on Ocean Ave—sit outside on the patio and don’t forget to order the orange pancakes with fresh blueberries.  You can also experience Sunday Brunch at Geoffrey’s in Malibu and experience brunch by the ocean. Their brunch features everything from Lobster and Scallop Ceviche, Challah French Toast and Eggs Benedict nestled on a croissant.

Finish off your night with dinner at Ado, a hidden Italian restaurant in Venice. Their homemade pastas are incomparable and their pan-seared filet mignon will make you want to keep this little gem a secret.  Head back to Shutters with your man and order some milk and cookies from room service…the rest is up to you.” — Lina Barkhordarian, Gilt City curator

 

The garden at Cliff's Edge and all its twinkling lights glory

2. For in-laws who you actually like spending time with

 

Trousdale, where Snoop Dogg and Miley Cyrus party side by side

3. For your twenty-something Midwestern college roommate who can still bong a mean beer if she needs to

Late night post-club hit up Mel’s Diner on Sunset Boulevard.” — Shannon Kelly, Gilt City curator

 

Stand Up Paddle Surfers at Islands Surf Camp. Lessons start at $150.

4. For your sports-and-burger loving dad, whose happiest when watching a game and grillin’ out

On Friday evening, the design-minded masses along with LACMA Muse and the Los Angeles Art Association flocked to Minotti, the high-end Italian furniture showroom on Beverly Boulevard, where owner Mary Ta opened her minimalist glass doors to celebrate the LA Art Show’s Young Collector’s Night.

The week-long Art Show, which kicked off on January 20 as our local answer to Miami’s Art Basel, is a city-wide art walk (or more L.A. appropriate, art valet), where galleries unleash their budding talents to those wealthy enough to support them.

But surprisingly, there were fewer art pieces displayed at Minotti than we expected, as it seemed that the featured group of young, international artists were each only permitted to show one or two works of their choosing.

Standout pieces included Italian artist Mattia Biagi’s “Stay out of My Closet,” a life-size black tar wolf wearing Little Red Riding Hood garb, and Joe Davidson’s “Bed 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.

The crowd, which included jeweler Loree Rodkin and designer Valerj Pobega, wore outfits that were almost more interesting than the artwork. The ladies were all about patterned tights and faux fur while pea coats and scarves served as the standard attire for amicos in attendance. But highlights included a Beverly Hills native (after all, Ferrari Maserati was a sponsor) toting her medium sized pooch in his holiday-red sweater, a man with cat-eye reading glasses and a thin handle-bar mustache, directional twenty-somethings who looked as though they pulled a page from Lady Gaga’s playbook and one super-tan, Ed-Hardy clad cougar who had clearly been under the knife recently and had no idea why she was at the event (or, more likely, her face just permanently feigns surprise).

But perhaps that is what a true Angeleno scene really is: a diverse mix of those searching for a cultural landmark, those who just landed without a clue and those simply seeking champagne gratis.

–Liza Kaplan
Photos above from left to right: Kristen Jensen and Andre Marciand; Valerj Pobega and Minotti owner Mary Ta. Below from left to right: Loree Rodkin, Jeff Berry, William Moore and Carolina Gray; Mattia Biagi’s “Stay out of My Closet”; general atmosphere and Lars Hypko and Lani Hammetp. Donato Sardella/WireImage.com

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 to plead 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.

“Excuse you,” said our friend, in a slightly annoyed tone.

“Fuck you.” replied the ornery lady (yes, lady). Nice. But once inside, douchebaggery (and there was plenty) didn’t seem to matter as Jett took the stage in a full length glittery body suit and started singing “Bad Reputation.”

The highlight of the show was when former Runaways bandmate Cherie Currie joined Jett on stage along with actresses Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart, who each play the respective rockers in The Runaways, the band biopic that officially premieres tonight at Sundance.

Stewart sported her signature “lazy Sunday” attire in a hoodie, T-shirt and jeans while Fanning looked more sophisticated in a dress and heels.

But Jett’s style, which included a leather cord necklace tied at the front, stole the show. Especially while singing her 1982 hit “I Love Rock n’Roll,” which caused the crowd to go even crazier than they did while embargoed at the front door.

In honor of The Runaways, please enjoy some of our favorite Joan Jett fashion moments of the past.

Additional reporting by Emili Vesilind

Joan (third from left) with the Runaways — a seminal girl group in the history of rock. Everyone from the Go Gos and Veruca Salt to Sleater-Kinney and the Breeders have borrowed from them. Their look here is so Three’s Company in rad form-fitting tees.

While other members of the band were gussied up like tarts, Joan seriously stuck to her guns, getting more anddrogynous as time went on. By the time she formed the Blackhearts, she was dressing like a punk-rock boy.

The single cover of “I Love Rock N’ Roll,” which Billboard now lists as their #28 song of all time.

Classic Joan. Sneakers, leather, bandanas, and ‘tude.

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 instead of Utah. But I digress.

I’m excited to (hopefully) bring you more exciting slopeside street style as my visit progresses, as well as revisit rocker Joan Jett’s leather-clad look in honor of the festival premiere of her biopic, The Runaways. I’ll also be party-hopping with a professional party crasher who lies, schemes and schmoozes his way into the biggest events in the world using a sordid arsenal of very elaborate (yet shockingly simple) tricks. I can’t wait to share his secrets (while praying I don’t end up facing charges of trespassing).

So stay tuned, check The Spiel frequently and follow us on Twitter at @StyleSectionLA for the most entertaining Sundance coverage in the land. That is, unless you’re actually interested in the movies. Then you should probably tune in to someone far less fidgety.

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.

Band-mates Fabrizio Moretti and Albert Hammond Jr. were in attendance, as was Devendra Banhart and Agyness Deyn (who happens to be Hammond’s ex-fiance.) Mischa Barton was also in the house, clad in a lace bandage dress and flat granny boots.

Once the VIPs rolled in, obliged fan photos and took their seats, the show began — and it was about as theatrical as an indie show gets. There were flashing lights, video screen projections and even a wardrobe change (so Freddy Mercury).

Casablancas — who will be in residence at the Palace every Friday in November — looked dapper in a black leather jacket, Thom Browne-esque cropped black pants and black patent-leather high tops, and stood stock-still in the center of the gorgeous stage, running through around ten songs.

–Stacy Saunders

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.

Taking their seats, the audience likely wasn’t in the mood to be challenged: They wanted pretty, with jeweled-and-sequined embellishment, and they clapped at any silk chiffon number exhibiting a hint of ethereal movement. It was hard not to join them; Hall knows how to put on a show. It may not be cerebral, but it’s hard to be cynical when viewing the craftsmanship that goes into a crystal-encrusted, silk satin gown or a scarlet bodice with impeccable lattice details. On the rack, it probably screams high-end boutique at the Wynn Las Vegas. On the runway, it was living, breathing art.

On Tuesday night, I stopped by a Hancock Park-adjacent launch party for perfumer Francis Kurkdjian, who’s created some of the most iconic fragrances in recent memory (including scents for Dior, Lanvin and Jean-Paul Gaultier’s Le Male—who knew?) Anyway, he’s stepped out of the designer vaults to create his own fragrance line, available stateside at Neiman Marcus.

Decades' Cameron Silver with Francis Kurkdjian

A few questions for the scent maestro:

SSLA: Why create your own line now?

Kurkdjian: When I collaborate with the world’s top fashion designers, I am like an actor, translating their vision and their style into fragrances. By creating my own Maison, my own fragrance house, it’s like being the actor as well as the director and cinematographer. It’s a chance to create my total vision, from start to finish.

What has been the most memorable scent thus far in your career?

To be able to create both Narcisco Rodriguez’s For Her and For Him was very memorable for me, not only because Narcisco has a great sense of style, but also because he has a real vision for what he wants his fragrance collection to be. Working with him, I learned that classic is not a dirty word!

What inspired you to create the particular scents in your debut line?

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.

Francis Kurkdjian will be making a personal appearance at Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills this Friday from 1pm to 3pm.

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, a bejeweled Judith Leiber clutch is as recognizable as arm candy comes.

Go to any society function, Bar Mitzvah or award show red carpet and be treated to a dazzling light show in the form of a parrot, polar bear or–yes– a bundle of asparagus.

It’s no secret that the loud collector’s pieces are carried and loved by a slightly older fan base (and who can forget Carrie Bradshaw’s kiss off to Mr. Big after he gave her a gaudy crystallized cup cake?).

But last night, as the 46-year old brand celebrated the opening of their new Rodeo Drive digs, we realized how fly the formal bags really are.

Sleek, simpler styles include clutches clad in silver anaconda skin, minaudieres wrapped in scarlet-colored satin and, the clear focus of last night’s fete, a jumbo jewel encrusted rectangle that looks like a leftover from a Studio 54 Saturday night (the bag, called Chocolate Bar, also happens to grace the cover of Elle’s October issue along with Victoria Beckham).

A crowd of young, classically stylish starlets including Ginnifer Goodwin, Jessica Capshaw and Jenna Dewan further proved that Leiber’s typical customer is changing shape.

While the plainer pieces are more our pace, we wouldn’t be totally opposed to owning a quirky crystal farm animal, flower or frog. In fact, we think it would inspire some excellent conversation and, undoubtedly, more than a few laughs.

But the asparagus? We’ll leave that one to the ladies who lunch.

Judith Leiber, 220 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills.

Photos courtesy of Judith Leiber and Jesse Grant/WireImage.com, Stefanie Keenan/WireImage.com

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.

SBE, which bought half of Bolthouse’s production business in 2005, is a major player in the city’s hospitality and nightlife projects, including the SLS Hotel, The Abbey and the Katsuya chain of Philippe Starck-designed sushi establishments.

The 39-year-old Bolthouse, in turn, provided creative direction and shepherded legions of the Hollywood elite (Reese Witherspoon, Jay Z, David and Victoria Beckham) that helped put each venue on the international pop culture map.

According to the Los Angeles Business Journal, SBE recently announced plans to open a second Hyde at L.A. Live and revamp Gladstone’s, the seaside tourist restaurant in Malibu.

Known by MTV viewers as Heidi’s former boss on The Hills, Bolthouse and longtime business partner Jenifer Rosero will continue to operate Bolthouse Productions as an independent entity. As event producers, their clients have included HBO, Vanity Fair, Prada and Mercedes-Benz. On September 18, the company furnished the pre-Emmys celebration for animated Fox hit Family Guy.

Calls to SBE were not immediately returned.

Story developing.

Photo: Brent Bolthouse with Heidi Montag courtesy of MTV