A recent post by Robot Johnny talks about a "secret" gallery in the city showcasing Group of Seven paintings. It reminded me of another little known secret. I worked for a few years at Nicholas Hoare Books in Toronto, (on Front street). It is a cozy place with a big fireplace, creaky old floors and real feather stuffed couches. Scattered throughout the store is a lovely collection of great Canadian paintings (one is actually an A.J. Casson if I remember correctly). Most people do not register this fact. But the most interesting thing to me was that several of these paintings are hung onto hidden doors where the overstock is kept, it is truly like in the movies where the safe if hidden behind the valuable art. The first time I saw someone open one of the doors the Nancy Drew in me got completely excited. There were many hidden compartments in that place. Books and mysteries seem to go together like beans on toast (yes that is a popular British/Canadian delicacy, I am well aware that some people in the US are revolted by the thought of it, but trust me it's excellent. Simon documents it beautifully.)
When I was in Paris I made a visit to Shakespeare & Co. on the left bank of the Sienne which is famous for having little cubby holes behind various curtains (for weary travellers who exchange work for a place to sleep.) A sign over one of the doors reads:
"Be not inhospitable to strangers, lest they be angels in disguise."
Another secret which sends my imagination into a whirlwind...
Several years ago in my town there was a renovation being done on the historic Munshaw House, built 1849. While they were digging they uncovered an underground tunnel with a room at the end. It was never investigated and the owner closed it back up for fear of the added cost. I have postulated at length about what the room was for, (bootlegging liquor, brothel, hidden fortune). The mysterious story begs to be made into a novel. Every time I walk past it, which is mostly every day, my curiosity is aroused. More than one ghost has been sighted in the building, if only they could talk.
Last week while cleaning the mantle of my fireplace I noticed a little door inside one of the air vents. It is on hinges and has a little latch that one might be able to attach a string to. I made several attempts to reach it to no avail. Is this where the hidden fortune of the previous owner is concealed?
My friend Rama has hidden links to secret pages throughout his website. I spent way too much time trying to find them all one day. It is a brilliant idea, we should all have many hidden secrets.
I have a secret habit of hiding notes in the holes of trees.
send a secret message.
Keri, Yes, Pages did have it, found it and spent yesterday enjoying it while it snowed outside. Love it.
Posted by: Wendy on December 15, 2003 08:51 PMI love Nicholas Hoare! I didn't know it existed until earlier this year -- it's gorgeous! I will keep my eyes peeled now for the hidden doors!
Posted by: Robot Johnny on December 11, 2003 08:44 AMI have a few little holes in my room here where I put stuff. They are mostly holes in the wall from me skateboarding in my room (not a good idea) Lots of people don't even know they are there cus a table or s omething is there. I don't keep much in them just stupid stuff like old tests that I don't need people to see or stuff that I don't want my friends to tuch.
I love little secret stuff man it is the best. It is like going on a little hunt ot find something and all that. Sometimes looking for something is more fun than finding it
Posted by: Joe on December 10, 2003 02:56 PMI've been having the "secret libraries" theme in my head ever since I was reminded of it :) There is a museum at my town, where they exhibit Royals' furnitures; desks, cupboards, and the like. I asked the guide once if these were having secret drawers. Since we were the only visitors, he took the time and showed us the secrets...it was obvious that he was so pleased about my asking.
Posted by: mademoiselle a. on December 10, 2003 11:10 AMHey keri
i love secret hidden places!
and i completly agree, The Munshaw House is super facinating. Aaron Munshaw was my best friend great great grampa (or something like that). But her mom had tons of stories about the Hotel, and we did a grade 4 history project on it...and had to go through all of these old books in the Library. Of course my memory has retained nothing, but you have totally inspired me to go searching for history for a new poetry series.
Thanks Keri.
As always this visit has pumped me full of inspiration and goodness...that i am now passing on to my everyone in my office.
cheers
r
Soo jealous that you have been to Shakespeare and company. I highly recommend Shari Beinstock's book'Women of the Left Bank' which is about all the artists and writers to ran away from their homes to become themselves on the Left Bank during the Lost Weekend between the Wars.
Lots of houses have 'priest holes' where they hid priests when Catholocisim was banned.
My favourite secret place is/was in Edinburgh City Chambers. I was taken there as part of an outing with the Politics club I belonged to at school. We walked down a short flight of stairs and to the right was kind of arbitarily slapped a small victorian looking door. Our guide opened the door and we had to scramble a bit up to get in. What we entered was Mary King's Close a street which had been built on when the chambers weas built in the late 18th C. Half of the street down the middle was bisected by a brick wall but if you looked the other way you could see the 17th c frontage windows. We went in and amongst the rubble you could see fire places and painted walls and ceilings. It was supposed to be haunted and had covens operating in it. The lights weren't working so we were walking around with torches.
Its been turned into something like the Mary King's Close Experience recently and I've not been down as it sounds quite naff.
Posted by: m on December 10, 2003 08:29 AMKeri, thank you for always being so inspiring and always making me feel lighter after I've stopped by.
Beans on toast....mmmmmmmm.....
I beg of thee: please find a way to open the little door in the air vent. If you must, put a spycam on the the squirrel and send him to investigate.
I can't believe anyone could resist exploring the room at the end of the tunnel at Munshaw House. Now I'm insanely curious. Unless of course it turns out to be a vast supply of pickled beets.
Posted by: Pioneer Melissa on December 9, 2003 09:56 PMDidn't SARK mention something about that Parisian bookstore in one of her earlier books? Maybe she lived/worked there for a while, because I remember a little drawing she did of a little curtained-off cubbyhole amid shelves of books...
Posted by: Amy on December 9, 2003 09:53 PMWendy,
I'm not sure if Hoare has it but it should be at Pages on Queen.
Failing that there is always Amazon.ca.
k.
Thanks for posting about Nicholas Hoare bookstore - I have to check it out - it sounds wonderful - more soul than the big bookstores ...I hope they sell your book since I am looking for it .... not found it yet.
Posted by: Wendy on December 9, 2003 08:43 PM