Go to South LA and East LA and you'll find way more check-cashing spots, liquor stores and mini marts than grocery stores, a continuing problem for residents. The LAT reports that a new study shows that there's more money to be spent than the census estimates in the two areas. Per the paper, a Washington-based nonprofit org Social Compact "says that annual income in Watts, Boyle Heights and seven other neighborhoods in South and East Los Angeles is about $1.9 billion more than the U.S. census has estimated and that 82,000 more people live there than the census has counted." The study included nine neighborhoods: Watts and Boyle Heights as mentioned, as well as Hyde Park, West Adams, Crenshaw/Baldwin Village, Vernon Central, Central City East, Jefferson Park and Leimert Park areas of Los Angeles.

The study also showed the money residents spent on groceries outside their neighborhoods, which amounted to $113 million, and "that most have to travel more than half a mile to shop at a full-service grocer." City officials are hoping to use this study as leverage to woo retail to these areas. But the paper also notes that there has been some progress, pointing out Wal-Mart and Macy's on Crenshaw Boulevard, shopping centers in Compton and the Florence-Firestone neighborhood, and Fresh & Easy in Compton and soon in South LA as well.
· Buying power in nine L.A. neighborhoods is underestimated, study says [LAT]

Project Runway, Season 4 winner Christian Siriano has just launched his capsule collection for online retailer Bluefly, as part of his prize. The collection ranges from $96 for a jersey 'Transylvania' top with folded, pleated detailing at the shoulder to $590 for the 'Posh' black puff-sleeve blouse, named after fan Victoria Beckham. It's definitely a toned-down Siriano we're seeing here, as compared to his winning runway show, but the Bluefly video shot to capture a bit of the process is rather telling. Siriano says "It's hard to do something cute and wearable that hasn't been done a million billion times, so that's why I'm still very high fashion. I like to do that, if I'm not going to make $10 billion, whatever, it's just more interesting." So, despite Siriano giving the editorial shoot his "super fierce" stamp of approval, you get the feeling that there are much more interesting challenges the designer hopes to face than a "cute and wearable" collection closer to the masses. Check the video after the jump.
· Christian Siriano for Bluefly [bluefly.com]

Wood floors and leather arm chairs make Secret Headquarters feel more like a gentleman’s study than a comic book store. Among titles and characters that you may not recognize, there’s enough inventory of mainstream comics so even non-junkies (like us) can poke around and find something fun. Customers can subscribe to their favorite series through the store and come pick them up on new release Wednesday, which owner Dave Pifer says is his favorite part of the job. “The ordering process makes it easy to get to know the customers personally.” In the interest of getting personal, we had a few questions for Dave.

Why this store, now, in Silver Lake?
Me and my business partner wanted to open a skate shop, but it really wasn’t a good area for it. This side of town isn’t serviced by a comic book store. We have a lot of customers coming from Echo Park and down town, too.

What’s been flying off the shelves?
Currently, Walking Dead, a zombie series with a soap opera like following. And we’ve been selling more Batman comics with the movie release of Dark Knight.

What are you most excited about in-store right now that's maybe not flying off the shelves?
I’m going to shout out Fear Agent. The lead character is like a drunk Han Solo. I just cannot get people to read it.

Make that $1,000.
Oh, let me change my answer. South Willard if I had a thousand, but with a hundred I’d probably just head to the newsstand. I really like Vanity Fair, Mojo and Fantastic Man. I actually just read Radar for the first time today, which I really enjoyed.

Can you explain DC’s Infinite Crisis in once sentence?
[Laughs ] Wow. Who fed you that question? I guess I’ll say its Grant Morrison’s attempt to take the DC universe into the year 2010.
· Secret Headquarters [thesecretheadquarters.com]

[Photo by Christina von Messling]

Mike is wearing a 4 Skins band T-shirt, Paperbag hat, Wrangler jeans and Dr. Martens boots.

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The most recent trailer for The Hills Season 4 has been released and it's notably devoid of fashion. It's all about who's dating who, and who's dating whose potential boyfriend. Gawker is not at all pleased about these developments: "...judging from a boy-filled online preview (after the jump), it seems just as dull, soul-crushing, and deliciously fucking awful as ever. Most of this is sentiment is heralded by the increasing presence of one Stephanie Pratt, the crescent moon-faced sister of Mattel experiment gone wrong Spencer. She's stirring it up by dating boys belonging to other girls, lying, and bitching." Well, she's always been bad news, but Pratt's seeming to amp up her antics. But, where's the fashion? Where are the biting remarks from Kelly Cutrone at People's Revolution?
· New Season of The Hills Promises More Terrific Awfulness [Gawker]

Racked NYC tips us to the sneak peek video of Natalie Portman's guest judge appearance on tonight's episode of Project Runway. Of course, the contestants are excited—"I almost peed my pants"—and, of course, the critiques sound rough—"her head is like stuck on spikes."
· Tonight's Project Runway: A Sneak Peek [Racked NYC]

"allow[s] consumers to purchase products from Amazon through their television sets using their TiVo remote control. The products are available through Amazon.com on any broadcast or cable network, as well as any interactive advertising feature. The new program...also lets customers search for and buy products associated with shows, movies, actors, and directors. Purchases will be secured with a PIN associated with the user's Amazon.com account."

The new point-and-buy service will debut with products pegged to shows such as Oprah and The Colbert Report. Can you imagine the loot Oprah's favorite things show could bring in if all that merch was put on Amazon? What's the amped up version of product placement? Colbert, we need you to come up with a pithy term, and then we'll buy it!
· TiVo, Amazon Let Customers Buy Products by Remote Control [WSJ]

Orthodox synagogue Pacific Jewish Center (PJC) is the only remaining synagogue along Venice Boardwalk, and it just so happens to be right next to Unruly boutique, which sells T-shirts, swimwear and underwear. The NYT reports the primary contention from the PJC is the loud music: "Worshipers say workers in the shop blast music on Saturday mornings, overwhelming the religious service held with the door open to the boardwalk. When the worshipers ask for the music to be lowered for an hour, they are met with hostility, they say, some of it smacking of anti-Semitism. Once in a while, the police have been called."

Congregate Gary Dalin and others told the paper "that they had heard Mr. Papadopulos refer to the members as 'greedy' and make other vague remarks that suggest he may not be fond of Jews but said that they were not particularly worried or interested. They just want the music turned down."
· At the Intersection of Synagogue and Boardwalk, a Feud [NYT]

[Photo by Masterson]

Ashley—a photographer for Alternative Apparel—is wearing Supra sneakers, H&M cut-offs, hand-made belt, R2VS shirt, and Nightmare Before Christmas Jack Skellington hat.

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We get more scoop from BlackBook via The Cut: "A partygoer at West Hollywood gay establishment the Abbey reports that he saw a scuffle between Rami and another clubgoer, then witnessed Rami get hit in the head with a martini glass, leaving him bleeding from head to toe. Ouch. While the clubgoer had no idea what started the bar fight, he did see Kashou being taken away in an ambulance, and the martini-glass-thrower being hauled away by security." [The Cut]

From 2pm-midnight, this Sunday, July 27, American Apparel is having a sale extravaganza at its factory at 7th and Alameda. People love to hate Dov Charney, but last year (per the flyer) 4,000 people showed and snagged up 200,000 garments. For the $5 entry fee, you get access to the bargain basement tees, leggings, dresses, etc. for as low as $1, as well as BBQ, drinks (adult- or kid-friendly), DJ Sebastien Tellier, obscure flicks from Cinefamily, cool books from Family on Fairfax, and a slip 'n' slide to make it a wet affair for some.
· Second Annual Factory Flea Market!!! [American Apparel]

We mentioned that LA designer Juan Carlos Obando has been named a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Finalist. If you are not already familiar with Obando's creations, we would like to bestow on you his fall/winter '08 collection, which plays gorgeously on texture, drape and transparency. We knew his day job was as a Creative Director, but we learn from Presse Boutique's blog, that he's even busier than we could've imagined and has contributed significantly to the shop's online presence: "JC not only designed this website, mapped out Presse Pass, our in-house magazine, created a ridiculous store window for our launch party (complete with $50,000 worth of on-loan Vera Wang gowns), but serves as both a creative and business sounding board." This is serious multi-tasking, people.
· High Five! [Press Boutique Blog]
· CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Finalists [Racked]

When LA designer Jenni Kayne opened her eponymous West Hollywood boutique in late 2007, you couldn't help be taken with the architecture—clean lines, exposed wood beams, warm neutral hues, and a thoroughly modern space created by Jeffrey Allsbrook—which also includes the main front window, the first residents a leopard and a one-shouldered canary yellow gown. Since the shop's debut, it's continued to showoff a string of inventive windows. Of late, the boutique's taken a shattered approach with shards dominating the orange backdrop and floor. Just a single mannequin stands in a linen shorts suit, which is dressed-up casual on point for summer. [RackedWire]

LA has a history of transforming parking meters into something with a little more oomph. Streetwear label and shop Alife on Fairfax has styled (or someone has) the meter in front of its shop to a stickered state of Alife-ness. That's what you call a quick, easy and cheap marketing/advertising/branding job. Hopefully, no one from the City of LA will have to scrape it clean, because that would really suck. [RackedWire]

[Photo by Christina von Messling]

Sao is wearing a T-Bags dress, Aldo heels, Prada sunglasses, bangles from Nordstom, Betsey Johnson earrings, and is carrying a Louis Vuitton bag.

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When jewelry and accessories designer Tarina Tarantino throws a party, you can count on attendees getting into the spirit of her pink, sparkle-fest of a world. Last Thursday marked the launch of the designer's Barbie collection, replete with satiny dresses, tiaras and other gems, fishnets, and, of course, Tarantino's signature fuchsia hair. And, the cars! These Barbies get VW Bugs, Corvettes, Vespas and convertible Jaguars. Dolls and vehicles pictured are all part of an auction—ranging from $700-$1,000—benefiting Clothes Off Our Back through August 5.

Among the peeps filling up the boutique and the back, decked out like a Barbie dream house, was a designer contingent, including Jared Gold, Eduardo Lucero, and Louis Verdad. Fashion journalist/writer and A+R owner Rose Apodaca was there with her songstress sister Blanca. Margaret Cho also came out, friends commenting on her leanness—we noticed her worked-out calves. More than anything, the scene was top-notch people watching—a spectacular display of tulle and satin, accessorized to the max.
· Tarina Tarantino [tarinatarantino.com]

Medak boutique sale-ed away until it shuttered for good after five years on West 3rd Street. A look inside revealed even the wallpaper had been peeled away. Perhaps this will make way for a new shop on the block, or it may stay empty as a number of spaces nearby.
· Breaking! Medak Boutique Closing [Racked]