In September of 1973 I visited my grandparents for a week. They were big Florida boosters, so they drove me around to see the sights. Most of what they took me to see is still there - Busch Gardens, Lowry Park Zoo. But one place I remember fondly from that trip is now closed - my Grandmother's favorite restaurant, the Kapok Tree Inn.

The restaurant was in its heyday, and I was amazed by its size and "fanciness". The food was pretty good, but not as memorable as the sculptures and fountains, the vines and huge plants. My grandmother loved the Florida Room best back then, though she later preferred the Grand Ballroom. This was the place to bring out-of-towners if you really wanted to impress them.

On a return visit to Florida in June 1988, I had the pleasure of dining at the Kapok Tree with my grandmother, my parents, my brother, my wife, and my children - four generations at one table. Only a special restaurant, and the magnificent "Grand Ballroom", would suit such a special occasion.

Enjoying dinner in the Grand Ballroom, June 1988

Years passed, and the rest of my family eventually moved to Florida. I heard in conversation one year that the restaurant had closed. Like everyone else, I could not understand why. As my grandmother used to say with a sigh, "Those days are gone, but not forgotten."