Shortstack's new LP, "The History of Cut Nails in America," is one of the first offered by Gypsy Eyes Records.

The life of a record executive in LA or New York can be glamorous, but not for one of Washington’s new labels.

The “office” for Gypsy Eyes Records is a former family home turned creative co-op by Rob Kalani Tifford, who grew up in Northern Virginia and attended the Potomac School; Joshua Read, who stirred things up at St. Albans during his youth; and Baltimore native Nick Pimentel; and Craig Harrison of Georgia.

Their development meetings take place on the patio as they work with groups that are committed to gaining national recognition and making a decent living but aren’t looking to escape to New York to make millions.

Read’s own rock band, Revival, was one of the first two acts to sign with Gypsy Eyes. The other, Shortstack, has a bluesy-country-rock LP, The History of Cut Nails in America, that came out in November.

The label’s live shows get people buzzing: Its late-summer First Forever Festival in downtown DC rocked crowds with performances by Revival and Shortstack as well as newly signed Brandon Butler, Vandaveer, and Mikal Evans. Other acts included Let’s French, John Bustine, and Kitty Hawk, all talking with Gypsy Eyes about working together.

The first sold-out performance of the festival was at a new Northeast DC venue, the Rock and Roll Hotel, a club on H Street featuring suites that may be reserved for partying but not lodging. The second sold-out show took place at another new H Street venue, the Red and the Black, opened by Bryan Deily and Bill Spieler of the nightclub DC9.

Kalani, who worked for Thievery Corporation for ten years, is trying to make DC’s indie music more accessible.

What: Badgley Mischka Spring 2007 Fashion Show and brunch

Where: Saks Jandel

When: Sunday, December 10, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Who: Designers Mark Badgley and James Mischka, made famous by their impeccable tailoring and mega-watt star clientele (including Halle Berry, Kate Winslet, and Eva Longoria), were on-hand for a special runway show to benefit the Research and Discovery Fund at the Children's National Medical Center. D.C.'s first lady-to-be Michelle Fenty arrived with BET President Debra Lee just in time to take her front row seat—perhaps to pick out a gown for the inaugural ball? Philanthropist socialites Cindy Jones and Ardis Eby co-chaired the event, which former Bolivian first lady Ximena Sanchez de Lozada also attended with Pamela Aparicio, the wife of the former ambassador.

Drink of Choice: Guests fashionably guzzled mimosas and champagne.

Food: A gourmet spread of brunch fare.

Scene: The best way to lure guests in on time is to serve alcohol; most arrived for the "cocktail" half hour promptly at 11 a.m. Saks Jandel owner Peter Marx stayed busy schmoozing friends and potential customers. Like any good fashion show, this one did not start on time. Models hit the runway around 11:45 and didn't stop tromping to the eclectic beats until 12:15 p.m. Nearly 35 looks made their D.C. debut, after which the pieces were available for try-ons and purchases. The four and five-digit price tags were no deterrent to this crowd. Maybe it was the 10% contribution of the proceeds to the Research and Discovery Fund that got the women so excited. Or maybe it was the delicate, yet opulent beaded necklines that did them in.

Fur Love: PETA must have decided to take the day off. Otherwise, they would have had a few words for the designers and their customers. Fur came in all styles and colors. From full-length coats and wraps to boots and fur-trimmed suits, fur was on proud display. The beautiful and oh-so-soft gray and black fox fur jacket was a definite show stopper.

Words from the Designers: "We love the women in Washington," said Mischka, the blond half of the duo.  Badgley said that despite being considered a town conservative in dress, D.C. is "very social. Women love to dress up. We just love that."

More photos from the runway below. 

Is it possible that Dan Snyder and his losing football team are starting to lose the loyal Redskin fan base? Did the stands at FedEx Field yesterday look like Swiss cheese, with holes of empty seats punched into the stadium from top to bottom and all the way around?

And why did 15,000 Eagles fans (by my estimate), sporting green jerseys and painted faces, show more spirit and than the Redskins fans?

FedEx Field, the biggest in the National Football League, holds 91,665 fans. The official attendance yesterday was 84,164. That leaves 7,501 empty seats. But from my vantage point from club section seats at the 40 yard line, there were far fewer fans in the stands.

I’m sure Redskins owner Dan Snyder doesn’t care who buys the tickets, but if you figure that 15,000 Eagles fans showed up at FedEx Field, the Redskins fan base was whittled down to about 70,000.

Even by the Redskins official records, yesterday’s game drew the season’s smallest crowd. The numbers have been tailing off all season, like a Mark Brunell pass fluttering in the breeze. The biggest crowd—90,608— came on opening night of September 11, to see Minnesota beat the Redskins. The team says 90,250 came a few weeks later to see the Dallas game. Drop that to 85,450 to see Carolina. Attendance for yesterday’s Eagles game was the lowest of the season.

With the Redskins 4-9 and out of contention, it may not be a big surprise that some fans stay home on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

But these are the Redskins! The day was sunny and warm—a pefect football day. The Burgundy and Gold was playing the hated Eagles from up the road in Philly.

Yet more and more fans chose to leave their seats empty. Even the tail gate parties in the parking lot seemed desultory.

Up in my section, a few Redskins fans mustered up some good-natured heckling of the many Eagles fans. The Redskins fans cheered first downs and field goals; the Eagles fans got to cheer touchdowns.

The enduring image was a guy in a Donavan McNabb jersey on the front row of Section 321 turning around during the last two minutes of the game and flapping his arms slowly at the the Redskins fans, who were quiet and glum.

Since Snyder bought the Redskins in 1999, the team has floundered. If you look at the past five years, the team’s won-loss record averages out to 6-10.

Snyder thinks he’s done everything a shrewd businessman and loyal fan can do. He’s enlarged FedEx Field. He’s resurrected Joe Gibbs, the legendary coach who last brought the Redskins to the Promised Land of Super Bowl victories.

But the fans at FedEx Field are turning against Snyder. Fans pay high prices for seats and for food. Frisked on the way in, my 15-year-old daughter was relieved of two granola bars and a bottle of water. Fans endure awful traffic getting to and from the stadium. Then they try and root for a team that kills a scoring drive by fielding 12 players, taking a five-yard penalty and settling for a field goal.

Sonny Jurgensen, legendary Redskin quarterback and now a commentator on radio and TV, told his audience yesterday that the Redskins seem to be playing in the “National Field Goal League.”

That got a laugh from fans, but even Sonny—maybe the great Redskin of the past 50 years—seems to be losing his patience.

What:  Moët & Chandon and VH1's "Be Fabulous" party to celebrate the new season of VH1's The Fabulous Life

Where: Kstreet Lounge

When: Thursday, November 30, 9 p.m. -11 p.m.

Who:  Mostly friends and friends-of-friends of the promoters.  And one guy who was caller #10 on Mix 107.3.

Food:  Mostly seafood appetizers, including lobster in tangerine sauce served in shot glasses, salmon skewers, and shrimp.

Drink of Choice:  Flutes of Moët & Chandon Champagne, obviously.  

Scene:  The night turned out to be more of a promotional event for the Moët & Chandon "Be Fabulous" ad campaign than it was a promotional event for VH1's "The Fabulous Life," but wherever endless and free champagne is involved these minor details are quickly overlooked. Glasses of champagne lined the fully-staffed bar from end-to-end and were also offered by waiters mingling around the lounge with silver trays and Moet bottles studded in Swarovski crystal. DJ George Bucur kept the atmosphere chic, playing everything from Michael Jackson and Annie Lennox to a Britney-Shakira mashup. Party-goers had the opportunity to pose for photographs with a beautiful blonde model poised on a shiny black vespa, but by far the biggest spectacle were the two models wearing dresses tiered with illuminated Champagne flutes. After all, champagne is more delicious when it's glowing.

Weird Observation #1: Although the place was packed with flat screen TV's, including some imbedded in the table tops, none were playing footage of "The Fabulous Life." A Baby Phat fashion show does not "The Fabulous Life" make.

Weird Observation #2: One of the models donning a champagne-tiered dress promptly changed into jeans and sneakers and walked back through the club with her Whole Foods grocery bag when her 20-minute gig was up.  Way to ruin the magic, champagne girl!

Evening Highlight/Lowpoint: Like the real-life celebs featured on the VH1 quasi-documentary, we got to experience what it's like to have your 15 minutes of fame cruelly torn away when we were kicked out of the VIP section of a party that had no discernible VIP's.  The fickle photographers who had at first adored us turned apathetic blind eyes when we were denied cushy seats in the back corner. It drove home the evening's theme: "fabulous" can't exist without the red velvet rope of injustice.

Ratings:
Bold Face names: 0 (out of 5)
Swankiness: 3 (out of 5)
Food/Drinks: 3 (out of 5)
Exclusivity: 2 (out of 5)

Total Score: 8 (out of 20)

Photos of the champagne dress and Vespa-modeling model below.