Zachary's Winner!!!!

Wooooohoooooo!

Calli's a winner!

This summer Calli entered the Annual Zachary's Chicago Style Pizza Art Contest.

One of her teachers suggested that she and Jake enter this contest.

It was easy to enter.

Zachary's gave you the paper, the entry form and the rules.

Any age could enter.

Any skill level.

Both of my kids worked very hard for a few weeks on their entries. Jake did a fabulous Green Lantern and received Honorable Mention and a few slices of free pizza.

However, to our surprise, Calli won the honor of being one of the winners who would get their entry framed and displayed in a Zachary's store, 

along with a $100 gift certificate to Zachary's,

and two T-shirts!

So fun!

So proud of my artist children.

There's TrueLove and one of our AmazingIllustratorFriend's Cathy,

and Calli way back there.

I like this picture because you can see some of the other winning entries in the background.

You must know that TrueLove and I have been frequenting Zachary's Pizza since we were little high school punks. We've had so many great memories waiting for hours, squished in like sardines, in the College Avenue store. One of my friends bachelorette parties started at Zachary's. Then Zachary's moved into suburbia and I do believe that Jake had two birthday parties here. I have one fine memory, I must have been 17, of convincing my dad that it was worth the drive AND the wait in Bezerkly to eat this pizza. I begged him to let me treat him to this dining phenomenon. There was nothing like it I promised him. He conceded and we stuffed ourselves into the craziness, salivating at the garlicy-tomato aroma that hung in the air the whole time we waited, ordered-hungry and exhausted with the site of all the other happy people (who had waited out their 45minute bake time) indulging in this pizza fantasticness, and FINALLY our pizza arrived. Insert the sound of shattered dreams falling all around. I had accidently ordered a thin crust, regular pizza! You only make that mistake once! I've hardly forgiven myself and it's been about 20 years.

Ah the sweet memories!

All the memories are brightly enhanced by the fun of enjoying all the wild and zany art adorning the walls. They were funny, creative, colorful, and they honored the star of the show-

the deep, dish, Chicago style pizza pie!!!

The magic is in the deep dish!

(Which is why my flat pizza order with my dad was such a monumental mistake. I never got him to go back.)

That's Mike behind me. Cathy's hubby.

If you haven't experienced this pizza, you may not have lived yet.

You must go.

Well, I'm not quite done bragging about my Calli Girl.

When she was choosing the subject matter of this contest, she knew from the beginning that she wanted to do Garfield because "everyone knows that Garfield likes to eat a lot."

Cover your ears folks! 

I tried to talk her out of it.

"Garfield's so out dated. No one's into Garfield. Do a fashion thing. You're so good at that."

But she stuck to her plan. She did not waver. She went with her gut.

And it payed off!

The caption reads

"Good-bye Lasagna,

HELLO ZACHARY'S" 

When TrueLove made the reservation requesting we sit under her picture so we could get some good family pictures, the hostess said that the Garfield was one of the fan favorites.

It received a lot of traffic from the kids and everyone thought it was funny that Garfield had discovered Zachary's.

Hey! Jake gave me bunny ears. 

Maybe they say that to every winning family that calls and requests seating next to their art, but even if that's so,

it doesn't change how much I love hearing it.

Congrats Calli!