Gardens of Stone --- A Cemetery Blog by Alexandra Kathryn Mosca

The gravesite of journalist Henry Villard is a perennial favorite for Sleepy Hollow visitors. It looks all the more vivid in the late afternoon light, surrounded by foliage. A brief biography of Villard, who served as a Civil War correspondent, can be found on the rear of the monument.

Frank Vance Storrs created Playbill, much to the appreciation of theater-goers everywhere. His whimsical monument in Valhalla's Kensico Cemetery reads: Life is a Book-A Different Page is Turned Each Day-The Happiness of the Next None Dare Say.

Along with partner Edmund Teller, German-born Paul Bonwit established Bonwit Teller on Manhattan's tony 5th Avenue. Bonwit Teller was noted for its fashion conscious female clientele, and had branches in Southhampton, Palm Beach and Bar Harbor. When Bonwit died in 1939, hundreds of friends and business associates attended his funeral service in temple Emanu-El where Rev. Dr. Nathan A Perilman spoke of Bonwit's leadership role in American retailing and his philantrophy. Bonwit is entombed in the family mausoleum in Valhalla New York's Kensico Cemetery. Today, Trump Tower stands on the site of the former Bonwit Teller building .

Producer and promoter, Sidney Simcha Bernstein, helped bring the Beatles to America. Sid Bernstein, Who Helped Import the Beatles, Dies at 95 .

  Nestled amidst the bustling streets of Upper Manhattan lies the only active cemetery remaining in Manhattan -- historic Trinity Cemetery. A hidden gem of tranquility and serenity, this beautifully landscaped burial ground comprises four city blocks and offers visitors a chance to discover the rich history of New York City, its notable figures and architectural gems that has stood the test of time.  As I wandered beneath a canopy of trees, the landscape transformed into a majestic tapestry of history. Among the graves I encountered was the final resting place of   Clement Clarke Moore . The author of the Christmas classic,   A Visit From St. Nicholas , his tombstone stands as a testament to his cherished contribution to literature.  Moore is in good literary company with novelist Ralph Ellison, publisher E.P. Dutton, and Alfred Tennyson Dickens, son of Charles Dickens, all buried on the grounds. Another notable grave is that of John James Au...

Irving Berlin, is buried in Wood Cemetery in the Bronx beside his wife Ellin Mackay Berlin. The legendary, and beloved lyricist died in 1989 at the age of 101.

 In 1861, Colonel Abraham S. Vosburgh died from noncombat causes. Following a well-attended military funeral, he was buried in Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery. This is the base of his monument, which features an obelisk topped by an eagle. The monument was commissioned by Vosburgh's regiment and designed by noted sculptor Patrizio Piatti, who is also buried in Green-Wood. The scene in Washington, D.C. as Col. Vosburgh's casket was borne to the railroad station for its journey to New York.

  The grave of legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday (nicknamed Lady Day) is well visited, as evidenced by the memorabilia and stones left atop her grave in St. Raymond's Cemetery in the Bronx. Diana Ross portrayed Billie Holiday in the 1972 movie 'Lady Sings the Blues' for which she won a Golden Globe and earned an Oscar nomination.

I am always looking for a new angle from which to photograph Green-Wood's John Matthews (Soda Fountain King) monument. Here's my latest effort.

  Ebinger's Bakery was a fixture in many Brooklyn neighborhoods, beginning in the late 19th century. Perhaps their most famous creation was Ebinger's Blackout cake. Invented during World War II, it was named for the mandatory blackouts that protected the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Ebinger's locations ceased operation in the 1970s, but their famous Blackout Cake lives on. A number of bakeries offer their version, and recipes can be found online. The company's founder, George Ebinger (1859-1935) is buried in Green-Wood along with his wife, Katherine, and other familymembers. The couple died within months of one another.