​Amy and El are so fun to hang out with and so well connected with the community.  I help them out from time to time because I honestly don't know when they sleep!!!
We had such a blast at Midnight Madness last year and I am looking forward to the fun again this year!!!

​In addition to being completely and utterly thankful for our families, first and always, we are thankful for each other. Yes, there are endless lists like sunsets and our health (as good as it can be in our 40's 😂!), green smoothies and nachos....but, instead HERE. is our untraditional Thanksgiving post: 

"PS I love your joint emails.  I imagine you both sitting side by side, one typing with your left, and the other your right.  If I had to guess, I'd say El is the lefty." Jeff C.

We received this in an email soon after a (very exciting) meeting we had ... news on that to come in 2016! But it just cracked us up + captured us pretty well. Aside from El being a lefty, which she is not. Although her dad was and her husband is, so that may count for something?

Anyway, we do joke about sharing a brain. Like each of us only has a 1/2 of a whole one. But the reality is, we can and DO finish each other's thoughts. We text the same thing to each other (& often other people) at the same exact time, and more than once one of us has had to change when being picked up by the other...that does not include the times we have arrived separately to the same place, in the same outfit!  When we met, we became instant friends. We started sharing clothes and accessories almost immediately. To the point where we didn't remember who's was what in the first place. After taking on Arnold Elementary's Spirit Wear together in 2012, we knew we would someday do something bigger together! We merged our visions and dreams and created what is now coined "HERE." or more often "THE pop-up shop" ... which trickles down to: "it's the pop-up shop girls" OR sometimes "I'm not sure if you are Amy or El".  Once El even introduced herself as Amy!

​We joke with our friends about having a game to see if they can guess who wrote which social media post. Honestly, sometimes we don't even know or remember ourselves.

How cool is it that we get to be our own #bossladies (we do joke about who the real boss is, but the truth is - we both are!). We get to wear what we want, work when we want (which is pretty much all.the.time.), drink when we want ... it's even encouraged on the job... & then, to do it all together! We have SO MUCH FUN and both love following our passion of #supportinglocal.

So, in case you wanted to know, for realz - we are soul sisters, besties and the best-ever business partners. We feel lucky to be on this journey together, and 98.4%  of the time we are loving every minute of it - the good, the bad + the ugly (inventory + moving out IS ugly, people!).

Have we disagreed? - yup. Compromised? - often. Had our "moments"? - just a few, and boy were they tough. But we always remember to respect each other + know not only how to say sorry, but to be forgiving.

With all this in mind, we are thrilled to be embarking on our 4th year of business together and all our plans for both HERE. a pop-up shop and our new collection: HERE. & NOW xo, Amy & El.  Thank you, reader, customer, artist, friend and our few HERE. #bossladies, for coming along for the ride! 

How long have you lived/worked in Annapolis?
We moved to Arnold, MD in 2005 from Venice Beach, California. Lucy, wasn't even 2, and now she's 12. It's true that time flies when you are having fun!

What are some of your favorite things about this area?
That there is water everywhere. That downtown is so picturesque and easy to get around. Love the small town vibe and proximity to DC,  Baltimore (+ BWI for ease of travel + having visitors).

How does Annapolis specifically influence you?
The nautical theme has definitely grown on me! We would not have had anything with an anchor on it in our first few pop-ups (early 2013), because, well, I (we) are not your typical, preppy, Aannapolitan gals! We love bringing a boho twist to all we do in this sailing town!

Where are your favorite places to eat, shop?
Vin 909 flatbreads are hands down what I always want to eat. Level + Metropolitan are our go-tos DTA. Breakfast all day @ Iron Rooster. Yes, please. And then Stan & Joe's for a pint and nachos (we've tasted many and theirs are the best). The Point, Mother's and Park Tavern are our favs when we stay on this side of the bridge. 
Lilac Bijoux is the best boutique in town - on trend styles, beautiful, fun jewelry and all at great prices.  Whimsicality in Cape St. Claire is always so much fun to shop at.

What other hobbies and interests do you have?
I love to read and am a kick-ass scrabble player. 
My family usually buys me a puzzle for Christmas and then I proceed to ignore everyone and everything and hardly sleep until it's done.
I'm a little crafty, but don't have the patience for tedious work.
Love, love, love seeing live music, but my absolute favorite is an outdoor concert.
On that note, does day drinking count as a hobby?

What does the Annapolis art scene mean to you ?
The art scene HERE. means everything to me since it is the heart of our business! We probably sell % wise more art than other categories in the shop, and we do believe it's our fun boutique enviornment that puts people at ease when viewing and purchasing art (vs. a gallery setting). When displayed among furniture, home décor, gift items and more, people can get a sense of how it will hang in their home. We also have a variety of price points and offer prints of expensive originals, so there is truly something for everyone.

How many new friends have you made HERE.?
We have met hundreds of people, from our artists, to our new business neighbors every shop, to all the amazing customers. I can't keep track, but let's just say that we text regularly with so many of them - in all 3 categories, as well as have some of them working with us now!

3 items or designs that you love from HERE. artists
1) I dream about owning Kim Hovell's original Peonies painting
2) my good karma bar necklace by Carmen LeFleur is hardly ever taken off
3) I'm obsessed with my feather earring by Gilded Trees

​Be HERE. & NOW.
 
That's kind of how our own brand started. Without fail, every time we popped-up, new customers, curious about the shop, engaging us in conversation and explanations, would inevitably ask, "So, what did YOU make?" (Of course that was always after "It seems like an awful amount of work"...but that is a whole other blog post!).

We would explain "we make the shop", "we curate the artisans", "create the unique experience". But as time went on, and we started wearing 'signature' pieces like our feather earrings, we also wondered why didn't we create our own things?

It started with a tee. We wanted a great, stylish and comfortable cut. We wanted it to say something we would say. And after lists upon lists of ideas (via text, in a drafted email we share and scribbled in random places, than screen shot for safe keeping) we knew that "Be your own Dreamcatcher" was it.

Next, we needed a font and a visual. Of course we hit Pinterest for ideas. But ultimately both became our own. Emily Hamel is our friend, turned HERE. graphic designer. She lives in Chicago, but may as well dwell in our heads. She can magically take our ideas and put them to paper. 
​And as she does every shop theme, she nailed it for our first ever HERE. & NOW, xo, Amy & El tee (and also the actual logo!)
​

What is in your bag?
Who knows.  I can never actually find anything in it.  It's too big.  But more than likely you will find, my wallet, my keys, gum, 7 different types of lip gloss and/or chapstick, multiple packets of Splenda that I "borrow" from various coffee shops and at least 20 random things my kids hand to me on a daily basis. 

What other hobbies and interests do you have?
Honestly, at the moment I don't have time for one single interest or hobby.  But if I did.......I love to take pictures, read ~ especially on a beach or mountain or lake, travel....absolutely anywhere, cook (except I make a terrible mess and use every single dish, cup, spoon, pan available to me) and any kind of active, yet fun sport where you don't necessarily realize you're exercising (snow boarding, water skiing, Frisbee, football, tennis etc).  I love music too.  Practically all of it, and you can't beat live music, I always feel so lucky anytime I can see a show anytime, anywhere.

If you could go anywhere where would it be? With who?
I LOVE to travel.  It's hard for me to limit where.  I think anyplace can be amazing and memorable with the right person or group.  I hope to teach my kids the love for travel and hope they will grow up to appreciate it as much as I do.  That being said, I would love to take all the people that I love HERE. back home to all the people I love THERE.  Specifically, Door County, WI.  But only in the summer.  I want to keep them as friends, so no tortuous trips to WI in the winter.

What book are you currently reading?
I don't know!  The Bollywood Bride?  Is that it...sounds kinda terrible.  I need a new one.  Suggestions?