Travel
“I kind of wanted to do it as a little love letter to Boston.”
Natalia Ivanytsky spent the last year unearthing Boston’s secrets.
After a year of researching and exploring, the Charlestown resident is debuting her first book, “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Boston,” on June 17.
The 37 year-old Ukranian-born author, Boston College graduate, and new mom has lived in Boston for 15 years.
“I kind of wanted to do it as a little love letter to Boston,” said Ivanytsky about the book, part of Luster’s “500 hidden secrets” travel series.
She’s still getting used to the title of author.
“I’m an accountant by trade,” said Ivanytsky, who works at Converse. “I’ve always seen travel as my passion project.”
Ivanytsky has explored such far flung spots as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. A thoughtful traveler, she is meticulous with trip research and decided it was time to do a deep dive into her adopted city of Boston.
The book’s introduction invites readers to “discover the city of Boston beyond its famous landmarks,” by delving into “the often-overlooked attractions that define the city’s true character.”
“Even if I was including something that was pretty well known, what I tried to do is add an interesting fact about it,” Ivanytsky said.
The book is broken up into sections and then categories within each section featuring five picks. For example, the food and restaurant section has 105 entries and includes “5 restaurants woven with history” and “5 Boston bagels that rival New York.” There are 70 drink entries, 60 shopping entries, 50 buildings to admire, 55 places to discover Boston, 55 places to enjoy culture, 25 things to do with children, 20 places to sleep, 40 activities for weekends, and 20 random facts and urban details.
As part of the book, Ivanytsky also mapped out two city walks — one on maritime history and one on literary history. The walks are available as digital downloads in the 500hiddensecrets.com bookshop or readers can scan a QR code provided in the book.
We asked Ivanytsky to share her 10 favorite Boston “secrets” from the book. What follows is her condensed list. Her book’s entries are not always confined to Boston proper, she noted.
Ivanytsky got to know this “unassuming” Spanish tapas restaurant at 999 Beacon St. when her husband lived next door, she said.
“It has a really classic, delicious tapas menu,” she said about the spot. “One of the things I tried there for the first time was frog legs. They were really delicious.”
In her book, she praised the restaurant’s atmosphere and wine, writing:
Bringing a taste of Spain to Boston, Taberna de Haro is known for its authentic Spanish tapas and dishes like garlic shrimp and paella. The extensive, all-Spanish wine list, curated by former owner and Madrid-certified sommelier Deborah Hansen, sets it apart, offering rare finds and perfect pairings. The cozy space and sidewalk patio capture the warmth of Spanish hospitality.
A scenic water ride connecting certain Boston neighborhoods is downright perfect for restaurant and bar hopping, Ivanytsky said.
“I think unless you’ve gone to those restaurants you wouldn’t know about it,” she said.
She wrote the following about the service in her book:
The Boston Launch Company provides an affordable and scenic ferry ride connecting waterfront dining spots in East Boston, Charlestown, and Seaport. Perfect for restaurant- or bar-hopping, this ride offers beautiful harbor views and a relaxing alternative to navigating city traffic, allowing diners to explore three unique neighborhoods while enjoying the best of Boston’s harbor.
Ivanytsky was enchanted by East Boston’s old-school candlepin bowling alley at 10 Saratoga St.
“It’s such an interesting atmosphere,” she said. “It’s a cool place to check out for some of the history.”
In the book, she detailed what makes the establishment so unique:
Central Park Lanes offers a nostalgic experience with vintage candlepin bowling, a New England classic. Adding to the retro vibe, the lanes require manual scoring and resetting, and the bar is BYOB. Thursday league nights are perfect for people watching, but be prepared for limited availability of open lanes.
Ivanytsky was wowed by this museum at 115 College Ave. in Davis Square.
“There’s a really cool 3D tour,” Ivanytsky said. “You can see what it looks like inside and it’s insanely beautiful.”
She noted some of the history of the building in her book:
Originally a Masonic lodge, this Somerville building has been transformed into the Museum of Modern Renaissance, where colorful, fantastical frescoes cover every inch of the interior. This unique space is a living art project, offering an immersive journey into a modern interpretation of Renaissance-style aesthetics, unlike any other.
This tour highlighting the women of the American Revolution departs from 139 Tremont St. in Beacon Hill.
“There’s so many women who played a pivotal role,” Ivanytsky said. “It’s just really cool to see a different side of that history, because what we’re presented is very male centered.”
She wrote the following about the tour in her book:
The Revolutionary Women Tour, typically offered in March, reimagines Boston’s Freedom Trail by spotlighting the influential women of the city’s early days. It celebrates figures like martyr MaryDyer and abolitionist Harriet Tubman, weaving their contributions into the fabric of the American Revolution for a unique feminist perspective on Boston’s historical narrative.
Ba Le in Dorchester
Ivanytsky has traveled to Vietnam and said she was transported back there when visiting Ba Le at 1052 Dorchester Avenue.
“We were so obsessed with the food in Vietnam,” she said. “The closest I could find to a banh mi was at Ba Le in Dorchester.”
She detailed what she loves so much about the banh mi in her book:
Ba Le is a Vietnamese grocery store stocked with favorite Vietnamese snacks and baked goods. Most importantly, it is known to have the freshest banh mi in town. Each banh mi is made to order with deliciously flaky, freshly baked buns, and is even better when paired with a refreshing Vietnamese iced coffee.
This Boston building at 283 Washington St., part of the Freedom Trail, has a long history.
“I just loved learning about the history of this place,” Ivanytsky said.
She shared some of what she learned in her book:
The Old Corner Bookstore Building, erected in 1718 on the site of Anne Hutchinson’s former home, has a rich history. In the 19th century, it was the base for Ticknor and Fields, publishers of Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. Now home to a Chipotle, it’s downtown Boston’s oldest continuously operating commercial building, with revenues aiding historic preservation.
Junebug in Charlestown
The vibrant flower and gift shop 211 Main St. never disappoints, Ivanytsky said.
“When I need a present for a friend last minute, I can always find something cute in there,” she said.
Ivanytsky detailed what shoppers discover inside the shop in her book:
Junebug in Charlestown is a cheerful flower and gift shop, standing out on Main Street with its pale pink exterior and seasonal window displays. Inside, it offers custom floral arrangements, houseplants like orchids, decorative pots, and colorful gifts. With its unique selection, Junebug is a local favorite for the perfect bouquet or gift for a special occasion.
Pabst Library at Boston College in Newton
The college library at 140 Commonwealth Ave. reminds Ivanytsky of a certain famous wizard.
“It’s literally one of my favorite libraries to this day,” said Ivanytsky, who spent a lot of time there as a student at Boston College.
She wrote the following about the library in the book:
Famed for its breathtaking Gothic architecture, Boston College’s Bapst Library is often hailed as one of the nation’s most beautiful university libraries. Featuring stained glass windows themed around academics and Jesuit education, and the majestic Gargan Hall, the library offers an inspiring environment for study, akin to Hogwarts’ Great Hall.
This home at 1 Arlington St. had an important role in American history.
“This is the first house in the world with a permanent telephone,” Ivanytsky said.
The home, which is a private residence and cannot be toured, is included in a chapter of her book about “Boston firsts,” where she wrote the following:
In 1877, Charles Williams Jr.’s house became the first in the world with a permanent telephone and was issued numbers 1 and 2 by the Bell Telephone Company. Connected to Williams’ shop at 109 Court Street, the setup enabled Alexander Graham Bell to test early telephone prototypes, marking the site as a key location in the history of communication
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