I recently had the beautiful privilege of walking through the doors of Walt's Club 33 for the second time. This is one of the greatest examples of what he was working on when he passed on, and one feels just a little closer to him while in the walls of the private restaurant. The old timey class is impeccable, and the food and service superb. I personally enjoyed the seared ahi, while the other five at the table chose the chateaubriand. We had wines and cocktails, cheese platters and complimentary profiteroles, desserts and coffee, and a wonderful time. However, I couldn't shake the slightest sense of melancholy due to a few small details. For example, the audio-animatronic vulture who is perched in the corner of the Trophy Room, capable of interacting with those dining below, is not, and never really was used. Or the fact that the restaurants dry storage was originally intended, and is designed, to be a dance club of sorts, with a second bar and a stage for a jazz band. These are typical examples of the worldwide, albeit slow, dilapidation that is sadly swelling within the legacy that Walt has left behind. And I guess all we can do is do what we can; enjoy whats left of it, and promote a spirit of conservation.
