Laura Dietz
Search results
People also ask
Are all secrets designed to be kept forever?
What are the Best-Kept Secrets in history?
What are the least commonly kept secrets?
Where are Vancouver's Best-Kept Secrets?
- Despite his international fame, how Tutankhamun actually died at the young age of only 18 remains a mystery. Tutankhamun was an Egyptian Pharaoh belonging to the 18th dynasty, born in 1341 BCE and reigning during the New Kingdom period between 1332-1323.
- Despite hundreds of years of investigation, the location of the lost island of Atlantis, if it ever existed, remains a secret. Atlantis is a fictional island described in the works of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, allegorically serving as a commentary on the hubris of nations, for which shortcoming the island nation fell out of favor with the Gods and was sunk beneath the Atlantic Ocean.
- Franklin Roosevelt’s paralysis was so secret that even the heads of state of Europe were not aware of his condition. Franklin D. Roosevelt, the future 32nd President of the United States, contracted a paralytic illness in 1921 at the age of just 39 years old; debilitating symptoms soon followed, including bowel and bladder dysfunction, numbness, and permanent below-the-waist paralysis.
- The identity of Jack the Ripper, the serial killer of Whitechapel, remains a secret to this day despite more than a century of investigation. Jack the Ripper, also known as the Whitechapel Murderer or Leather Apron, was an unidentified serial killer responsible for the murders of at least five women in the Whitechapel district of London in 1888.
- Shogomoc River Pedestrian Bridge, Canterbury, New Brunswick. The Shogomoc River Pedestrian Bridge may not be one of the scariest suspension bridges but it’s definitely spectacular.
- The Galley Patio & Grill, Vancouver, British Columbia. For drinks with a view on a lazy summer afternoon, head to the second floor of the Jericho Sailing Centre.
- Killarney Provincial Park, Ontario. Killarney Provincial Park may not be quite as famous as nearby Algonquin National Park but it packs a perfect punch when it comes to natural beauty.
- International Peace Garden, Manitoba. The International Peace Garden straddles the border between Manitoba and North Dakota. Every year, over 150,000 flowers are planted here, making the International Peace Garden a great place for a nice stroll while contemplating world events.
- 1,577 VOTES. No One Knows How To Make This Byzantine Secret Weapon. From Redditor /u/quiaudetvincet: Greek Fire... was essentially gasoline for flamethrowers that was used by the Byzantine Empire from around year 670 to their final fall in 1453.
- 1,414 VOTES. No One Has Located Genghis Khan's Tomb. From Redditor /u/GoGoButters: The location where Genghis Khan was buried [is unknown]. Legend has it that his funeral escort killed anyone they passed in order to conceal the burial site.
- 1,483 VOTES. British Intelligence Invented A Fake Man To Trick The Nazis. From Redditor /u/Slide_Jeremy: [During] Operation Mincemeat, the British SOE created a fake ID for the corpse of a homeless man cleaned up to look like a naval officer and attached a briefcase full of fake plans for an invasion of Greece to his wrist before having the body wash up on shore in [Spain].
- 2,657 VOTES. A Solid Gold Buddha Once Hid In Plain Sight. From Redditor /u/Brackto: The "Phra Phuttha Maha Suwan Patimakon," a nine-foot tall stucco Buddha statue, was actually solid gold underneath.
- These spots should be on your radar. It’s the first, and hopefully last, summer of COVID-19, and many of us have postponed our travel plans and are biding our time, daydreaming about the places we long to visit.
- Alabama: Florence. Book Now. The Shoals of Alabama in the northwest part of the state have a rich history and a vibrant modern-day culture. Each of the region’s “quad cities” boasts its own claim to fame: The musical town Sheffield is home to FAME Studios, where Etta James and Aretha Franklin recorded tracks, while Tuscumbia is Helen Keller’s birthplace, and Muscle Shoals gets a shout-out in the unofficial state anthem, “Sweet Home Alabama.”
- Alaska: Sitka. Book Now. By now, you’ve probably read about the wonders of Alaska’s scenic capital, Juneau. But nearby Sitka is considered Alaska’s true hidden gem—and that’s saying a lot in a place famous for its raw natural beauty.
- Arizona: Carefree. Book Now. Want to take a walk on Easy Street? You finally can—just make a left on Ho Hum Drive. The whimsically named Carefree is a planned community created in the 1950s by a pair of American entrepreneurs, who marketed it as “a place for gracious living in a desert forest of rare beauty.”
- Bursts of Creativity Make A City Worth Living in
- Historic Landmarks and Architecture
- Public Art
- Nature, Gardens and Parks
- Homes
- Vog Vault at Fluevog Shoes, 686 Queen West
- Random Gems
“I live in Toronto,” begins the voice-over of the Oscar-winning short Ryan, “a city in Canada where I see way too many shades of grey for my own good health.” It can be difficult to live in a place whose very aesthetics are a constant reminder of our inability to do better. Where too many streetscapes are defined by indifferent condominiums and the...
1. The Oculus Pavilion, South Humber Park
Almost 60 years after it fell to Earth near the south end of the Humber bike trail, you’ll find a folly with a practical function: a flying saucer attached to a stone-faced public washroom. Architect Alan Crossley’s playful mid-century modernist masterpiece is a forlorn object today. Grubby, neglected, tagged with graffiti and much in need of a cleanup, it was recently added to Architectural Conservancy Ontario’s (ACO) list of buildings at risk. ACO says a plan to demolish the washroom (it’s...
2. Commerce Court North Tower, 25 King West
This 34-storey limestone classic, part of the four-building complex that anchors the city’s financial district, was the tallest building in the British Empire when it was finished in 1931. But the gold-coffered ceiling and art deco styling made it a showpiece in its time and now a treasured heritage building.
3. Gibraltar Point Beach and Lighthouse, Centre Island
Tiny and secluded, Gibraltar Point Beach has a witchy vibe. Perhaps it’s the giant dream catchers in the trees or because it’s beside Toronto’s oldest (and spookiest) landmark, the nearby Gibraltar Point Lighthouse. Built in 1808, its original keeper, John Paul Radelmüller, was murdered on a cold night in January 1815. Legend has it he was thrown from the top of the lighthouse by soldiers from Fort York and that his ghost is still searching for his body. The tale grew in popularity following...
1. White Elephant, 77 Yarmouth
Just north of Christie Pits on Yarmouth, a life-sized elephant named Sally lives in James Lawson’s front yard. The nearly three-metre-tall sculpture has made the nabe her home since 2003. Lawson inherited her from his friend, artist and industrial designer Matt Donovan, who designed the beast as part of his thesis project at OCAD. Made of fibreglass, chicken wire and plywood, the oversized lawn ornament stops people in their tracks. “I still hear exclamations of surprise and giggles from pass...
2. Trinity Square Labyrinth, behind the Eaton Centre
This little-known oasis of calm in what may be Toronto’s least appreciated public square sits atop the buried course of Taddle Creek and is approached via Tibetan arches. Like the 13th-century stone labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral in France, it inspires artful meditation in those who take the time to walk it. Also a great place to people-watch.
3. Rosehill Reservoir, 75 Rosehill
A Canadian water landmark, Rosehill Reservoir was built in 1873. During the Second World War it was enclosed by a barbed wire fence for fear of sabotage, much to the chagrin of locals who’d come to enjoy the occasional dip in the water. It was covered in 1966 to protect it from encroaching development – and reportedly due to continuing Cold War worries. A fountain, wading pool, 1.6 hectares of reflecting ponds and a waterfall were added as surface features, although these days the reservoir o...
1. West Toronto Railpath, Cariboo to Dundas West
This two-kilometre stretch of abandoned rail line that used to serve industry in the west end was converted into a pedestrian and cycle path in 2010 in a piece of groundbreaking civic planning. Too bad plans to extend the path south to Union Station are still in limbo. Notable features: painted bollards, John Dickson’s Frontier sculptures and the view from the Wallace Avenue bridge.
2. Music Garden, 479 Queens Quay West
Bach’s Suite No. 1 in G Major for unaccompanied cello is one of the best-loved pieces of string music. Yo-Yo Ma recorded it in 1997 for a six-part film series, Inspired By Bach, exploring the visual qualities of this music. He worked with Vermont landscape artist Julie Moir Messervy to design a botanical garden that would reflect the sense of the piece. When the Music Garden initially planned for Boston fell through, Toronto stepped in, and our lakeside garden opened in 1999. A spiral walkway...
3. Ireland Park, behind the Canada Malting silos off Éireann Quay
Architect Jonathan Kearns and sculptor Rowan Gillespie carved out a spiritual masterpiece on the lake to commemorate the arrival of refugees from the Irish famine who landed on Reese’s Wharf in 1847. An awe-inspiring beacon on our waterfront.
1. Terracotta House, 20 Jerome
On a street full of Victorian-style brick, it stands ornately covered in terracotta tiles. Terracotta House was built in 1905 by John Turner, who owned a construction business in the late 1800s and reportedly covered the house with leftover materials from another project as a way to promote his business. “The display seems not to have had the desired effect,” states an excerpt from Terra Cotta Artful Deceivers, published by the Toronto Region Architectural Conservancy in 1990. As tacky as the...
2. UniTri Cube House, 1 Sumach
Based on the cubes made famous by Dutch architect Piet Blom, this replica erected at Sumach and Eastern was intended to be incorporated into an affordable-housing project in the port lands back in 1996. Ben Kutner, the Ottawa-based architect who bought the rights to Blom’s design, tried to sell the idea as a way to build affordable housing on too-small, hard-to-develop spaces. The “cube-on-its-point” design resembles a tree (hence the name UniTri) and works on the same thermal chimney concept...
3. The tchotchke house, 37 Bertmount
Leslieville’s doll- and stuffed-animal-covered house is so famous it was written about in the UK’s Daily Mail (in fairness, they’ll write about anything). Owner Shirley Sumaisar reportedly began showcasing the collection after the death of her husband. And the neighbours? Well, some have been able to snag lower prices on their homes on account of the display.
Before Vancouver-based Fluevog moved to its current location in 2015, the building housed a TD bank with a vault in the back. After brainstorming about the nine-square-metre space, designers decided to turn it into a gravity room (aka an upside-down room) based on a vintage photo of store founder John Fluevog that hangs in every store. Featured: a ...
1. Astral media toilets, at Queens Quay West and Rees Lake Shore East and Northern Dancer Lake Shore West near the foot of Dowling
Bizarre vestiges of a time when then-mayor David Miller thought it’d be a good idea to outsource Toronto’s pedestrian infrastructure to a billboard company, Astral Media’s self-cleaning pay toilets were supposed to fulfill a genuine need. But like many elements of the Astral street furniture contract (including those waste receptacles with the pedals that don’t work), things did not go as planned. The automatic toilets are challenging to maintain, freeze up in the winter and are difficult to...
2. Kensington Market garden car, Augusta and Oxford
Streets Are for People, the now dormant group dedicated to “engaging citizens and governments through creative and playful street actions,” made points about the absurdity of car culture via some of T.O.’s most imaginative street theatre. It all start-ed in 2006 with the Kensington garden car, built from the hull of an old sedan and filled with soil and donated plants. Put out to pasture in 2012 after a number of brushes with the law and a local tow truck, the original was donated to the PACT...
Jun 3, 2022 · Some secrets you keep entirely to yourself, and others you’ve shared with at least one person but still keep from others.
4 days ago · The meaning of BEST-KEPT SECRET is something very good that not many people know about. How to use best-kept secret in a sentence.
