How is your approach different than that of other professionals in your field? _ You know how weddings shows are terrible? Well, we decided to change that. In addition to music, films, and photography, we are the creators and producers of The Lovesick Expo, a wedding event proudly representing the unrepresented. Lovesick is the nation's largest alternative wedding expo bringing together cool and unique wedding vendors that appeal to couples having trouble finding their voice represented in the traditional and often high-pressure wedding market. The ever-growing show is expanding year after year thanks to our partnership with Offbeat Bride! For our 2015 shows, we united more than 3,000 cool attendees and vendors in Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Atlanta, Seattle, Denver, LA, and the San Francisco Bay Area. For information about the Lovesick Expo, check out www.lovesickexpo.com._ When and how did you first develop a passion for your work? Lovesick is the creation of Tom Wright and Jon Holmes – two friends who bring their diverse passions and a ton of wedding experience together to bring your event to life. Our journey began as "Hi-Society Entertainment," a word-of-mouth DJ duo that soon had Tom and Jon live-spinning at seventy weddings each year for clients that were looking for something beyond the traditional. Throughout the seasons, we found that we kept seeing the same small handful of vendors at every wedding. It became clear to us that our clientele was actively seeking like-minded, progressive wedding professionals. So, we decided to produce an event that put all of those original vendors and couples in the same room at the same time -- The Lovesick Expo. In 2011, we brought another love of ours, filmmaking, to the wedding world, utilizing Jon's shooting and editing abilities to create wedding films unlike anything out there. We built up the team by recruiting the most talented people we know so that even more couples will get to experience what a truly fresh, creative event can feel like. And now with the addition of our photography services, Lovesick has become an eclectic one-stop-shop for those looking to challenge the wedding mainstream. We work mainly in Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Brooklyn, but often travel throughout the East Coast and to destination events around the globe.

Take a trip to The New Parish in Oakland and make your next meal a good one. Complement your meal with a beer or wine from this restaurant's delightful drink menu. At The New Parish, there's no need to confine your meal to a traditional dining room — outdoor seating is available when the weather is warm. Gather up your group of friends and head to The New Parish, a local restaurant that has room for large groups. A DJ spinning or live musical guests are not out of the ordinary at The New Parish. For music and dancing, The New Parish also features live bands and an open floor. A tad noisy, the restaurant is well-suited for those who don't mind a little extra hustle and bustle. During the restaurant's weekend rush, waiting in line is the name of the game (so avoid Friday and Saturday nights if you're looking for something quick). At The New Parish, you can park your car in seconds with the nearby street and lot parking options. Bike parking is quick and easy at The New Parish. Take a break from the kitchen without breaking the bank! The New Parish will fill you up with top-notch fare that s modestly priced. At the end of your gourmet meal, break out the bills because The New Parish only accepts cash.

At The New Parkway Theater, viewers nestle into love seats or lounge on cozy couches while munching on comfort food and popcorn, a weekend viewing party writ large. If its owners had their way, the biggest difference between a friend's house and their theater would be the size of the screen. Conceived as a community space, New Parkway's colorful cafe and couch-filled screening rooms encourage showgoers to make friends, sitting with strangers and striking up conversations with particularly interesting throw pillows. An ever-changing schedule reinforces the space's sense of discovery, constantly cycling through indie darlings, classic flicks, and second-run blockbusters. The menu of comfort food comes out of the kitchen and straight to the seats, letting viewers chow down during flicks. Prepared with locally sourced ingredients, options include burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, and spicy fries. Beer and wine selections all come from brewers and vintners within 100 miles of Oakland.

Did you know that, on average, 88% of the seats in a movie theater remain empty during a showing? According to the New York Times, this phenomenon really surprised Sean Wycliffe a few years back when he went to see the Oscar-winning film The King's Speech and shared the theater with only two other audience members. With all the focus on online video services, Sean realized movie theaters were being overlooked, and came up with a concept that could help movie houses fill their empty seats. His brainchild became Dealflicks, a website that offers customers discounted tickets (sometimes with popcorn or soda) for same-day showings. Customers shop a selection of deals, each of which is specific to a particular film, theater, and showtime, and upon purchase, receive an email voucher they present at the theater's ticket counter. Dealflicks is partnered with theaters around the country, particularly independent and neighborhood venues, such as the treehouse of the enterprising kid down the street.

What It Is: a 2-day music festival sponsored by Burger Records, an indie label that produces and celebrates garage rock, underground punk, and good ol' rock 'n' roll The Host: John Waters, as in THE John Waters, as in the Baltimore filmmaker and pop culture icon behind Hairspray, Cry-Baby, and Serial Mom The Special Guest: veteran actress, model, writer, and director Traci Lords Saturday's Bands: The Trashwomen \| Mummies \| Real Kids \| The Lyres \| The Intelligence \| Thee Oh Sees \| Okmoniks \| Angry Samoans \| Amplified Heat \| Psychotic Pineapple \| Young Fresh Fellows Sunday's Bands: King Khan & The Shrines \| Flamin' Groovies with Roy Loney \| Shannon & The Clams \| Terry & Louie \| Seth Bogart \| Buck Biloxi \| Giorgio Murderer \| Soda Boys \| Death Valley Girls \| The Dwarves \| Fadeaways

What services does your business offer and what makes your business stand out from the competition? I Hella Love Short Films Festival screens independent films quarterly, giving film-makers frequent opportunities to showcase their work. We also provide the community with a local, fun, inexpensive and entertaining cinema experience. What is the experience customers can expect? Expect to have a fun, comfortable, diverse, and entertaining experience. What was the inspiration to start or run this business? To have a consistent film festival, in the Bay Area, that screens quality short films by film-makes around the world. What do you love most about your job? Providing exposure to countless film-makers, meeting countless film-lovers, and contributing to the budding arts/cultural scene in the Bay Area.