funeral

Leona Helmsley's $1.4 Million Eternal Resting Place

Filed under: Estates

You may not be able to take it with you when you die, but you can sure spend a lot of it getting there. Leona Helmsley, who died this week in Connecticut, will be buried alongside her late husband, Harry, in a $1.4 million mausoleum in the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Westchester County, New York.

Although Harry died in 1997, he is somewhat new to the Sleepy Hollow neighborhood. Three years ago, Leona became dissatisfied with Harry's original resting place at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx when a public mausoleum was constructed, blocking Harry's view. She then did what any self-respecting billionaire would do - she built a new mausoleum and moved Harry into it. The 1,300 square foot granite monument features Doric columns and a recreation of the Manhattan skyline in its stained-glass windows. Oh, and a great view.

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Tags: celebrity grave, CelebrityGrave, funeral, grave, harry helmsley, HarryHelmsley, leona helmsley, LeonaHelmsley, manhattan skyline, ManhattanSkyline, mausoleum, sleepy hollow cemetery, SleepyHollowCemetery, westchester county, WestchesterCounty, woodlawn cemetery, WoodlawnCemetery

A (Final) Rest in Luxury

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Andreas Spiegel, when it came time to bury his father, took note of the fact that the vast majority of coffins are rectangular, heavy and heavily ornate. They were old fashioned, and Spiegel decided that he had a design to revolutionize the coffin industry. Or, at least, a design that would give discerning coffin buyers an alternative to designs that have been overused for years. The Cocoon is an ovoid shaped box made out of natural materials which, unlike traditional coffins, will decompose 10-15 years after being placed into the ground. Fourteen colors are offered as a finish to the natural soybean-based resin and the natural jute lining can be replaced with silk, as part of the customizing "haute couture service" Spiegel offers. Prices start at $3,500.

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Tags: coffin, coffins, funeral, grave, new york times, nyt, the cocoon, TheCocoon