July 1, 2010

Welcome to Baltimore, Hon!

As I was driving into the city the other day, I spotted a flock of Pink Flamingos on the median strip with the sign welcoming visitors to Baltimore. 6-30 001This sign has always been used as a sly wink to insiders, and for many years, someone added a handmade paper sign to the wooden sign, saying “Hon!”, a term of endearment in Baltimore.6-30 002 It actually took two trips to get this picture. The first time, I was doing about 70 and talking on the phone, so couldn’t really whip out the camera to get the shot. The second time, I actually pulled over to the verge and shot it between cars zooming by.

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12 comments:

  1. maryJuly 1, 2010 at 7:16 AM

    The pink flamingos are hot!!! I like the new piggie. Have a great day.

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  2. PatJuly 1, 2010 at 10:34 AM

    I smiled every time I passed the Hon sign...just love the flamingos! Thanks for sharing!

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  3. StitchforkJuly 1, 2010 at 10:36 AM

    Too funny! Will have to keep an eye out for this on my next trip to Baltimore. In Pittsburgh groups use the pink flamingos to raise donations. You may wake in the morning to see a huge flock of flamingos staked out in your front yard. If you donate $x, they will come and retrieve them. If you donate $xx, they will come and move them to another front lawn of your choice!

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  4. Pigtown*DesignJuly 1, 2010 at 10:42 AM

    Stitch... last year, they covered the front lawn of city hall with 1000 pink flamingos as a protest against the city citing someone who had a huge flamingo on their building.

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  5. mamacitaJuly 1, 2010 at 11:39 AM

    Love it, love it, love it. Stitchfork-- they do that in my hometown, too. People usually get "flocked" on their milestone birthdays.

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  6. ToadJuly 1, 2010 at 11:46 AM

    I wonder if John Waters placed the Pink Flamingos.

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  7. StitchforkJuly 1, 2010 at 11:47 AM

    Oh, I miss Cafe Hon's flamingo!

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  8. Pigtown*DesignJuly 1, 2010 at 11:50 AM

    Stitch... the flamingo has been put back on the front of the building. The flamingos were put on the lawn of city hall to protest its removal.

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  9. Pigtown*DesignJuly 1, 2010 at 11:50 AM

    Toad... JW tends to distance himself from kitschy things like this. I think they were put there in celebration of the HonFest a few weeks ago.

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  10. hmstrjamJuly 1, 2010 at 11:55 AM

    Hi Meg! Sorry to hear about your house deal falling through, almost literally!! Like the sign, considering a visit to Cafe Hon, wonder if a pink flamingo will get me a burrito, do they barter?

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  11. StitchforkJuly 1, 2010 at 11:58 AM

    Happy Cafe Hon did not lose the flamingo permanently. Will have to make sure I swing by there next visit - thanks letting me know.

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  12. Glamour GirlJuly 7, 2010 at 10:55 PM

    Hey, Meg, I interviewed the Hon Man! Though he's now departed, I'm sorry to say, I'm still sworn to secrecy about his name. Here's the link:

    February 3, 2002
    Lisa Simeone visits the elusive "Hon Man" of Baltimore--that's "hon" short for "honey," as in, "How ya doin', hon?" For 10 years now, the anonymous urban folk hero has been adding the word "Hon" to the "Welcome to Baltimore" sign on the local highway. We accompany him to the scene of the crime.

    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1137465

    But I do hope you were kidding about "doing 70 and talking on the phone." Come on, people, get with it -- it's dangerous to talk on cellphones while you're driving. I don't care who you are or how adept at "multi-tasking" (god, that term is a crock) you think you are. It's dangerous. Homicide by cellphone is rampant. Put the phone down.

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