(upbeat music) - Here's what's next on "You Oughta Know."

Love is at the center of this husband and wife eatery in Northern Liberties.

It's the place where fantasy board gamers go to roll the dice and enter a magical world, and see how free books can foster community and spark joy.

(upbeat music) Welcome to "You Oughta Know."

I'm Shirley Min.

Books can take you places and transform lives, which is why a New Jersey man has made it his mission to give away books to the underserved in Camden and beyond the Garden State.

- Free Books.

Get them while they're hot.

(bright music) Hey, how are you?

- Hey, how are you?

- Good.

The Free Books Project has been around for about five years.

Just with books that I gathered from friends, we put those books on the table and just offered them to people for free.

People took the books, engaged us in conversation, and really liked it.

And right away I was hooked.

It's like, "This is what I want to do."

Books are free.

You've been here before.

How are you?

- [Shirley] Three times a week Tom Martin sets up a table with books that are free for the taking.

The founder of the Free Books Project calls it a pop-up library.

On this day, he's outside this transportation center in Camden.

- We want to get books in the hands of people who can't afford books, who can't make their way to a library.

Maybe they don't have a library card, maybe they don't have time to go to the library.

- Can I take these two?

- Yeah, take as many as you'd like.

- Okay.

- [Shirley] But setting up for two hours at a time three times a week wasn't enough for Tom.

With a Friend's help, Tom developed a book ark so folks can access books 24/7.

- We have 75 of those in Camden.

We would love for the city of Camden to be called the City of Readers because we now figure that nobody has to travel more than 10 blocks to access a book ark, where they can take books 24/7 for free.

There's no reason not to have them in every city.

We didn't patent the design.

I'll send the design to anybody.

What are you reading now?

- That one.

- Nice.

Where'd you get it?

Did you get it from a book ark?

- I got it from here.

- Oh, nice.

- [Shirley] This Quaker meeting house in Camden is home to the Free Books Place, an expansion of the Free Books Project.

This supersized pop-up library is open every Saturday.

(uplifting music) - [Tom] People give away clothes, which is spectacular.

People give away food, which is needed.

But after food and clothing, people also need something for their mind.

And the books hit that note.

And it's not just for their mind.

I mean, books are good for your soul too.

I do this for the people, but I also do it for me.

If I didn't get the feedback that I get, I wouldn't be doing this.

It's a selfish venture, but I'm lucky that what makes me happy also supports the community.

- Check out thefreebooksproject.org to learn more about Tom's popup libraries, as well as how you can donate your time, books, or dollars.

And if you donate books, Tom always needs children's books and he is in desperate need of books in Spanish.

While fans of fantasy literature may enjoy this next story, Philly Game Shop is the place to go to play board games full of magic and spells.

(upbeat music) - I got involved in gaming by being a lifelong nerd, but in my life I have experienced many game shops that did not feel completely welcoming, completely open.

And my idea with this place is to develop a game store that can be a home for everybody, where anyone can walk in and feel welcome, whether or not they're part of the club.

You can be part of our club here at the Philly Game Shop.

The gaming community's been around for a while.

"Dungeons and Dragons," "Magic The Gathering" have been around for 30 odd years at this point.

The community itself is evolving, but I think in recent years and especially the last decade, gaming has become a bigger part of American culture.

People are looking for a way to get back to face-to-face interaction.

Certainly TV shows like "Game of Thrones" have brought fantasy to the foreground, but tabletop gaming is a community in and of itself that's just been growing and growing.

Part of the idea here too is to bring people together.

We are not just a game store, we are a community space as well, and we really focus on community first here.

There are a few big hitters as far as the games that people play here.

Folks love "Magic The Gathering," that's one of our biggest, most popular games.

But Pokemon has actually had a resurgence and that's its 25th year.

As an original Pokemon fan, I'm happy to see that come back.

"Lorcana" is the new Disney trading card game.

It's huge.

It's hard to get, but people really seem to like it and it's family friendly.

"Dungeons and Dragons" is definitely a really important part of our community.

People like the chance to be the person who they wish they could be, who they'd wanna be in the world, and kind of feel that out and play out that character.

And sometimes it helps you kind of grow yourself as a person too, as you interact with and grow with your friends in your adventures.

"Magic The Gathering" is a trading card game where you collect cards and you build decks out of the characters that you like the most, or the mechanics that you feel the most connection to.

The nice thing is it's always evolving.

There's new sets that come out all the time and it keeps the game fresh for people for years to come.

And it's a one V one or depending on your format, four v four combat and it's last person standing, but there's a lot of just chitchat and social interaction that happens in between, and I think that's what people really love.

But it is a little bit of a cutthroat game.

(upbeat music) If you wanna reserve space, you can rent a table, you can rent this room, but if you bring your own game and your friends, you don't have to pay any money to sit down in here.

So in that way, we try to be very friendly to even folks who don't necessarily have a lot of funds to support us.

We do have a demo library that you can rent from for $5, but even that on Saturday nights is free.

That's our community board game night.

And folks really seem to be grateful that we're not always just trying to make a buck.

I mean, we're a business, but we're very heart forward as a business.

- We have a really great group of people here.

Everybody is really nice, well, really welcoming.

A lot of the same people come again and again, but sometimes you meet new people and that's how I got involved in the community was I came not knowing anybody, just showing up for an event and I met a really great group of friends.

- It's wonderful to hang out here go and play any of the games that you like with your friends.

And more than anything else, it is the best "Magic The Gathering" store, really in the tri-state area.

We've got some of the strongest players here, great competition, and events almost every night of the week.

And it makes me real happy to be a part of this community.

- I think that this is a movement driven by nerds and for nerds where we're all kind of coming into our own, we're returning to our hobbies that we love and trying to create spaces where we can enjoy them together and feel included and part of the community and not just be these nerds on the sort of edge of social interactions that happen.

This has really become mainstream.

- After meeting in culinary school, a couple combined their love for each other and their love of cooking and opened a restaurant specializing in fried chicken.

The Philly restaurant boasts lots of love with a little bit of honey.

(bright music) - [Laura] Our love story starts at the Culinary Institute of America where we met.

We just hit it off.

We connected instantly.

We've been pretty much inseparable for about 15 years.

We always knew that we wanted to build a business into the food space.

- I was working in an R and D role at the time, and I really wanted to develop my own fried chicken recipe.

I had an electric fryer that I would take around to parties and family events and I would make a big mess and make fried chicken for everyone.

And over the span of about two years, the recipe kind of got a little more dialed in until it was something where we're like, "Wow, this is really special.

This is really different."

And that was really what led friends and family as we were considering what the concept might be is it was the fried chicken.

It's so delicious.

It's awesome.

We were just like, "Oh, okay, maybe it's the fried chicken."

And we went with it.

- I've always loved food and had a passion for food.

Realized very quickly that I did not want to be a chef in the kitchen.

And so I really pivoted my career into more management and culinary marketing that led us to Love and Honey Fried Chicken.

It's been the most incredible community to start a restaurant in.

And not just our neighbors and amazing customers, but one thing that we have realized in Philadelphia is how much the restaurant community support each other.

During COVID, we actually had an actual takeout window installed, and then as COVID started to go away, we realized we could never go back to dine in.

Our staff had grown.

- We've experimented with a lot of different items over the years, but what I like to call now is our greatest hit.

So it's really the most popular things we've done over the years.

And as far as the recipes, they're all made from scratch.

We use fresh dill, fresh green onions in the ranch dressing.

We have three kinds of mustard in the honey mustard.

Everything is hand breaded.

Everything is just small batch made with love.

We have a secret spice blend, we can call it that.

But there's also a way we brine the chicken that really adds juiciness and depth of that chicken flavor.

Love and honey is lots of love, little bit of honey, which is also trademarked as our tagline.

And we finish all chicken with just a little bit of honey drizzle so you got salty and sweet and crunchy and it all comes together.

So the biscuit John, I wanted a epic biscuit recipe.

I wanted a flaky biscuit, indulgent biscuit, but then also a sandwich.

Of all the things that we've put on the menu and maybe taken off, this was one that we constantly got DMs about and it was like, "Bring back the biscuit sandwich, bring back the biscuit sandwich."

- [Laura] So we launched a few months ago the franchise business.

We partnered with some fantastic people to help us grow and build this business.

- [Todd] The concept, the recipes, the execution is thoughtfully prepared.

It's meticulously developed.

We put a lot of love and care a whole lot about the product, the customers and the hospitality we provide.

And we take a lot of pride in that.

- What's up y'all?

My name's Alexis.

I'm a lifestyle travel entertainment content creator.

And I'm Delaware based, not bound.

Would you believe me if I told you what you're watching happened in Delaware?

Yeah, I know.

Typically I'm going to New York, Philadelphia, even all the way out to LA for an experience like this.

I'm talking elevated with house music, light bites, and a overall great crowd.

I just have one question.

Do we want more of these experiences?

Because I know it's not just me.

If you're interested in something like this, this is your sign to join our community and I just have one favorite to ask.

Leave a comment down below to let me know you're feeling the same vibe.

Follow and share for more things to do in and around Delaware.

- Food, fun, and fellowship.

And it is all located in the first state.

Social media influencer, Alexis Harris of First State Destinations joins me now.

Alexis, thank you so much for joining us.

- Thank you so much for having me.

I'm super excited to be here.

- I think a lot of people think Delaware, small state.

What more can you do?

I mean, I live in Delaware also, but even after having seen your Instagram and TikTok pages, I have learned so much more of the things that are accessible and fun to do in the state.

How did you come up with this idea and this brand?

- Well, first of all, amazing.

I'm glad that's been your experience.

That's the goal.

And truthfully, it originally started as a means to my own problem.

I would say I am my own audience member too.

I'm not originally from Delaware.

And when I first moved here, I struggled combating the narrative of Delaware is boring and there's nothing to do.

And I decided, "You know what?

I'm choosing not to believe that."

It was affecting my quality of life to where I was on a mission to find what there was to do in and around Delaware to change how we experienced the first date.

- And so how did that whole process work?

I mean, were you just searching online?

Were you going door to door?

- Oh my goodness.

The process, it changes every day.

Even as of yesterday, I was out just walking around town to see what new places you could find.

What it started was, thankfully I found a friend in Delaware.

We'll talk another day about how I made friends at first.

But I am searching online and I realized not too many businesses will use sites like Facebook events or Eventbrite to post about their events or experiences.

So I'm going into Instagram, searching specific experiences I know that might exist in New York or even back home in North Carolina.

And then if I couldn't find it online, I'm driving around town, I'm asking friends to ask their family members and then scouting it out from there.

- That sounds like a lot of work and I think I hear a lot of young people say, "I wanna be an influencer when I grow up."

But it's not just prop your camera, take a video, and post it and you're done for the day and then money is rolling in.

I mean, can you speak to how much work and what kind of commitment it is to be an influencer?

- Exactly.

It is a full-time commitment in every aspect.

I feel as though, once you truly understand what's required of the career, 'cause that truly is what it is, there's no off switch.

So you could be out at dinner and your mind is already running of, is this an experience my audience would like, would this be aligned with my brand?

But also, how can you drive impact to the businesses?

'Cause truly with influencing, there's people of influence of course, but then if you're an influencer, you're changing people's habits and how they experience life in whatever aspect they may be.

So I have long nights working, I'm always reworking my strategy or doing market research and truly you're gonna turn into an expert in sales in marketing and in a way you're a leader.

So if you don't foresee that in what's required of that, then it's not gonna be an easy road.

I think people will see the lights and shiny fun stuff of it, but it's almost you get to a point where you realize that's not what your true day-to-day is.

And now I'm at a point where I'm growing to give those opportunities to others so I continue to grow the business and continue to reach other people.

- The response you've gotten on your platforms, have you seen followers grow?

I would imagine a lot of your followers are Delaware based, but you're seeing growth even beyond the borders of Delaware.

- Yes, which is amazing and it tells its own story.

I feel like Delaware is so nuanced.

So I'm getting the attention.

And with social media, you can reach anyone globally.

So of course we have our Delaware based residents and I've tapped into our neighboring big states, whether it's New York or Philadelphia as a city, but everyone passes through Delaware.

I call it the HubSpot of global convenience.

And truly, whether you're road tripping through or just want a change in pace in what your day-to-day may be, they're following to see what it's like.

And it's crazy.

People out in California, a young couple, they have young kids, people are sending me messages asking what it's like to live there or they're following along to decide if they wanna raise their family in the state.

- Oh my gosh, that's incredible!

You've taken the platform to another level.

Are you venturing outside of Delaware more?

- Yeah, so you probably hear me say Delaware based, not bound.

Some people are like, "What does that mean?"

I mean, not constricted.

You can have a fruitful life both professionally and personally while still staying in the state.

But that shows how accessible we are to other things, whether it's international trips, which we are going on our first international trip, which is very exciting, but we have over six airports to pick from.

I've personally flown out of New York to save hundreds of dollars to go somewhere international and come back home, which I think is a luxury.

Many people don't consider when you live in a state that isn't as central as Delaware is.

But again, even talking about brunch in DC, I put a fielder test out and hundreds of us are interested in me renting a bus, going to DC, having brunch set up, having a couple experiences set up, and being back home by 11:00 PM - I love this.

Oh my gosh.

Okay, so I just wanna wrap up Alexis.

So your viewers who don't live in Delaware, you can follow First State Destinations too.

Alexis, thank you so much for joining us and yay Delaware!

- Thank you so much, Shirley.

This was amazing.

I appreciate it.

This conversation is exactly what I hope for the future if anyone else looking to pursue content creation in the state.

It's possible.

And thank you for giving our state a chance.

- While staying on the topic of getting out and about in our region, community contributor and beer expert Gary Monterosso gives us a tour of Hamilton, New Jersey.

(upbeat music) - Hi everyone.

I'm in Hamilton, New Jersey, the birthplace of First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.

And you know, for a town of only approximately 15,000 people population, it has close to a dozen wineries, breweries, and even a distillery.

Hamilton's known as the blueberry capital of the world.

So don't be surprised to find that fruit infused in a beer, wine, or spirit.

And my first visit is at Sharrott Winery where I'm gonna meet with owner Larry Sharrott.

So come join me.

One of the most remarkable wineries in the area is Sharrott Winery right outside of Hamilton with the owner Larry Sharrott.

Larry, thanks for inviting us here today.

- [Larry] Hi, welcome.

- [Gary] I'm curious, what is it about the climate and the soil that makes this area an ideal spot for growing grapes?

- Yeah, it's actually, we did a lot of research to make sure we could grow the types of grapes here in New Jersey that we wanted to grow.

We wanted to make high quality dry wines like Chardonnays, Cabernet, sauvignons, Merlots.

So we found a region in South Jersey that's very similar to Bordeaux as far as climate.

We're surrounded by water on three sides, right?

We have the Delaware Bay, Delaware River, and also the Atlantic Ocean.

So we have a lot of maritime influence here that keeps our winters slightly warmer.

It keeps our summers slightly cooler and the only difference in temperatures between us and Bordeaux is actually the rainfall.

We get a little bit more rain than they do.

So in dry seasons we make some incredible wines.

In wetter seasons, we still do really well.

- [Gary] How many different wines do you produce at any one time?

- Oh wow.

We have about 30 different varieties that we make on an annual basis.

They're not all available all the time in the tasting room 'cause a lot of them are seasonal and a lot of them are smaller lots.

But yeah, we make close to 30.

- Wow, I really had a good time visiting Sharrott Winery, but now I'm gonna head in town and talk with the owner of a brewery.

First, however, I'm gonna talk with Mica McCullough, who's the executive director at Main Street Hamilton.

(bright music) Hey, Mica, how you doing?

- I'm great, thank you.

How are you?

- So glad to see you.

- Yes, me too.

- You help put together all these events downtown, don't you?

- Yes, yes.

A team of volunteers and I work to make Downtown Hamilton a great place to come.

- [Gary] What role do the breweries, wineries, and distillery play?

'Cause you got about a dozen, close to a dozen of them.

- [Mica] Yes.

- [Gary] Do they help you out?

- [Mica] They do.

They attract a lot of people downtown, which really helps when we're trying to get people to come to our small businesses.

- Now, of course you do the third Thursday of every month?

- We do, yes.

- And tell me a little bit about that.

- Every third Thursday of every month from 5 to 8:00 PM the local businesses stay open a little bit later than they normally do, and we offer specials and discounts and something pertaining to the theme of the evening, which changes every month.

- [Gary] And many times could be an adult beverage involved?

- Absolutely.

- Okay.

We can go to downtownhamilton.com to keep abreast of what's going on, right?

- That's correct, yes.

And find us on social media as well.

- Now I'm gonna go over to Chimney Rustic Ales and check out things over there, okay?

- Good idea.

- Thanks for joining us.

(bright music) Well, I'm at one of the three breweries in Hamilton, New Jersey.

This is Chimney Rustic Ales with owner Daniel Borelli.

Hey Dan.

- I'm doing well, how are you?

- I'm doing great, because this is a beautiful site in front of me.

- It is a beautiful thing.

- And this is the?

- That is our Ironworks IPA.

- You know to always pour this for me when I get here, right?

- Always, first thing you're getting.

Cheers buddy.

- Cheers to you.

How long have you been open?

- [Dan] Three and a half years.

Three and a half years now.

- [Gary] Now you're so near the main street, which is called Bellevue.

- [Dan] Yes.

- [Gary] Is it important for you, for your success to be located downtown?

- Absolutely.

We wanna be a part of the community.

It's very important to us and I think it's a great opportunity for us to engage with the local community.

- [Gary] What's the relationship like between you and all the other creators of adult beverages?

- We are all friends.

We try to get along as best as we can and help support each other.

We do a tour three times a year with the three of us where the three owners lead groups around different breweries and we try and nurture that downtown community vibe.

- Boy, that sounds good.

Danny, thanks for letting us come in and I'm gonna sample this beer definitely.

- I appreciate that.

And for looking at downtown events, go to downtownhamilton.com to check out all the things that are going on.

And again, there are the beer and wine and distillery tours.

- There sure are.

- Thanks for joining us.

- If you're still looking to get out and about, check out this restaurant featured on the new season of "Check Please Philly."

(upbeat music) - Irie Entree expresses what we think our true authentic Jamaican cuisine should be.

We wanted to bring a piece of Jamaica to Philadelphia.

- If you're familiar with what Jamaican cuisine is in the United States, it's mainly a corner shop vibe.

Well, the way Irie Entree differs from that, we are an upscale casual dining restaurant, full service.

The name Irie Entree is really irie, which is a Jamaican name for everything is good.

It's a vibe.

That's what irie stands for.

- For the entree, you could never go wrong with the Oxtails.

The Oxtails are succulent, meat falling off the bone is very excellent.

- Our ultimate goal is to have guests come in, experience that authentic Jamaican vibe, and live with that desire of wanting to repeat always.

- [Shirley] The next episode of "Check Please Philly" with host Kehlani Palmisano airs Thursday at 7:30.

Thank you so much for tuning in.

I hope you have a good night and we will see you next week.

Bye!

(upbeat music) (upbeat music continues)