“I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore,” Dorothy said as she passed several RLong graffiti tags.
Those inescapable tags are just one example of a Baltimore totem — something that holds significance or is representative of the city’s culture.
In order to call yourself a true Baltimorean, there are seven specific totems you have to spot. And while there are always more extremely Baltimore things — like a Honda coupe or Acura zipping (or ”bippin’,” in our slang) through the streets, finding a shop that has “Bmore” in the name, or a red light being treated like a polite suggestion as opposed to a traffic law — to claim resident status, you must start with the ones below.
Under Armour sweatsuit
An Under Armour sweatsuit is essential to the city’s fashion sense. The sportswear company is headquartered here, so the connection the brand has with locals is only natural. If you see a man between his teen years and his 40s, there’s a good chance he owns (or has on) an all-black or ash gray fleece Under Armour branded hoodie or full-zip and sweatpants. It’s practically a uniform at this point.
RLong graffiti tag
You may never know who RLong actually is, but you will definitely see the name across the city. The graffiti tag can be found seemingly everywhere you turn — sprayed on buildings, etched on stop signs, written in dust on the backs of cars. As of January, The Banner had found 131 RLong tags in the city, but more have inevitably popped up. And the mystery remains: The actual artist originally behind them has yet to be identified.
Dirt bikes in the street
Long before the film “Charm City Kings,” dirt bike culture ran deep in Baltimore. Despite a recent crackdown on the fact that riding them is illegal within city limits, you’re still liable to see one — or more likely, hear one — at any given moment. Watching a rider pop a wheelie on the street is certainly a spectacle, even if they are affecting traffic.
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Squeegee boys writing a heart on your window
Squeegee boys are crucial to Baltimore’s ecosystem. These moneymakers are often young and capable of putting a smile on your face with their signature heart after quickly cleaning your window at stoplights. A ban has been put in place against the workers, but they’re still pretty easy to find. Pro-tip: If you don’t want them to wash your window, you can just simply shake your head no.
Something strange being fished out of the Inner Harbor
Despite being cleared to swim in on occasion, Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is often a habitat for not only marine life but other random objects. So many electric rental scooters were fished out of the water in 2022 that the city looked into geofencing. But you never quite know what’s going to be found in the often-murky waters, whether it’s a set of chairs, a Nokia cellphone, a dead eel or a 2009 Mercury Mountaineer SUV.
Baltimore Running Man
Keith Boissiere, also known as the Baltimore Running Man, can be spotted most anywhere in the city (or Washington, D.C., depending on how far he wants to go that day). Boissiere, who is in his 70s, has run roughly 20 miles about every day for over three decades to stay fit after being diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. In 2017, he won an award from Baltimore City Council for inspiring neighborhoods and has even earned his own commercial from local retailer DTLR. Locals often honk while driving by him in support of his dedication and for making their day.
Snowball vendors not at a snowball stand
A hot day in Baltimore is an opportunity to make money. It’s routine to see somebody selling snowballs every couple of blocks as you cruise through the city and more often than not, they’re just as good as the official stands. Often posted up outside of their house or somewhere relatively close to a lot of foot traffic, these vendors are just another example of Baltimore’s “get it by any means” mentality. When the temperature is high, it’s not just snowballs for sale either: People of all ages are hawking something cool, whether it’s ice cold waters out of a cooler in the middle of the street or Sydney’s Ice Cream in Belair-Edison, which originally started in the owner’s own kitchen.
