Chicago.com
Illinois’ mandatory insurance law is one of the most significant consumer protection measures now on the books. Comply or end up like this.
The Law
You are in compliance with the mandatory insurance law if you have vehicle liability insurance in the following minimum amounts:
You must always carry your insurance card in your vehicle and show it upon request by any law enforcement officer. Your insurance company will send you an insurance card, usually when your insurance policy is issued or renewed.
Your signature on the Vehicle Renewal Registration Application affirms that your vehicle will be properly insured throughout the registration period.
Enforcement
Enforcement of the mandatory insurance law is accomplished through a random questionnaire sampling process and the issuance of traffic tickets.
We have been getting a ton of emails about Chicago’s insurance policies. Well here you go! If you have any other insurance questions contact Vince “da insurance guy” Lifonti, over at Lifonti insurance. Where theyalways treat you like family!
GO HAWKS GO!
The hawks are up 3-0. They got a lot less Power Play opportunities, and because of it were out shot by a 3-1 margin in the 3rd alone, and once again their goalie fell asleep. Patrick Sharp scored on a power play in the 2nd to tie the game at 1. Dave Bolland (center) scored in the 3rd period, giving the Hawks a temporary lead. Dustin Byfuglien aka “Big Buff” scored in overtime to secure a victory. They are one game away from playing for the cup, and all I can think about it that thirst “clinching” Sunday. Another great performance from the Blackhawks goalie, Antti Niemi (goalie) aka “the Finnish Fortress” who blocked 44 of 46 shots to ensure the Blackhawks win! The Sharks, whatever lineup they muster up, need to do two things. One is they need to rebound more, the other is lots of praying. I believe the Hawks have the greater speed and most definitely we have more heart. The Sharks have no fore-check. Once you let the Hawks out of their zone it’s game over. Great job by every player on the Hawks – truly one of the best Chicago hockey teams since ‘61. All the Hawks players need to buy some new golf clubs because these guys deserve a vacation.
FYI from Chicago.com’s friend (Matt Bonacorrso)
Hawks will attempt the sweep on Sunday and win!
Last Stanley Cup win was 1961 (currently longest winless streak in NHL. What’s the deal with Chicago teams and waiting so long between championships?)
Last time in Finals was 1992 and were swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins (those rats)
If you want to find out what happens Sunday, stay posted to “The Chicago Blog”
THIS IS MY CITY AND I LOVE CHICAGO!!!!!!!
The Chicago Film Tour was such an amazing experience! I checked it out with my “movie-know-it-all girlfriend” a couple weeks ago and it is a definitely a must-see in Chicago. If you like movies and history, I strongly recommend this tour. Pat McDonald, a film critic for www.hollywoodchicago.com, was our host for the day, leading us through the city with tons of film history knowledge and trivia. The bus is equipped with video screens, comfortable seating, and for those of you with tiny bladders -you guessed it, some of their buses have a bathroom. As we drive through Chicago slowly rolling past film locations, we are directed to the screens to watch the final clips that made it into the movies. I learned so much from this tour and how ingrained the history of movie making is in Chicago culture. Pat really knows his stuff and the staff of The Chicago Film Tour have put a ton of effort into making this a great experience.
The tour covers about 30+ miles of film history. We traveled past the world famous Wrigley field all the way south to Chinatown. There was a great selection of movies and not just the classics like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off or Blues Brothers. Pat covered everything from the 1910 silent movie The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, My Bodyguard, Child’s Play, Back Draft, While You Were Sleeping, and North By Northwest, to new releases like Eagle Eye, Wanted, and The Dark Knight. Possibly my favorite moment of the day was Pat’s homage to Vince Vaughn. There really is nothing quite like big guys dancing and no one does it better than Vince. (Fred Claus, The Breakup, etc.) You can tell Pat enjoys what he does which makes the whole trip even better. He’s freaking hilarious and is the kind of guy you want to have a beer with and watch a good flick. If you have friends and family coming in from out of town, or even folks you know in town and you want to show them how great our city is, tell them to take this tour. No matter what age you are or what you think you know about the movies, you’re sure to learn a ton on this tour.
Get yourself some tickets and check this out today!
Nella Pizzeria Napoletana is the newest venture from the owners behind Francesca’s Restaurants in Chicago. Chef Scott Harris and partner Nella Grassano opened this authentic pizzeria in November of last year with the hope of bringing the passion and the craft of Italian pizza making to the heart of Lincoln Park. Their wood burning pizza oven was imported straight from Naples, and with the help of Corporate Chef of Mia Francesca Massimo Salatino, their recipes have stayed modern and yet still reminiscent of their originals.
We started out with a seafood salad to share. This insalata di mare was bright and fresh with large pieces of cuttlefish, squid, octopus and shrimp. It was served with arugula dressed in lemon juice, sweet peppers, fresh herbs and olive oil. It was a great combination of flavors and a complete surprise from the monotonous, one note seafood salads I’ve had before. This was perfect for a warm day and really whetted our appetites. And thank goodness, because we were in for a feast!
As for the pizza, we went with the recommendation of the General manager Jeff Downing – Prosciutto e Rucola, a white pizza with smoked mozzarella, prosciutto di parma, fresh arugula, shaved parmesan and olive oil. Let me tell you, growing up in the Midwest and living with the corn fed stereotypes most “Coastal Americans” give us, I really appreciate fresh, quality ingredients. Italian food isn’t always all about carbs. True Italian cooking almost always revolves around vegetables and seasonal local ingredients, and Chef Salatino has definitely taken advantage of this. I would absolutely recommend this pizza to every one of our readers. The leftovers were great too!
The next pizza (yes, we had two) was the Pizza Diavolo. Covered in homemade tomato sauce from my favorite San Marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, spicy salami, basil, and I think a hint of heaven, this pizza was definitely a keeper. Absolutely delicious. Their dough is so good with a slightly charred edge (what you’re looking for with a good wood burning oven) and soft center. This is not just a pepperoni pizza; far from it. The heat from the salami was just right and I’m pretty sure I had strands of melted mozzarella hanging from my face. Yes, I am that sexy. It was embarrassingly good. Perfect for a date, this pie is seductive.
For the lunch crowd, Nella offers a variety of fresh paninis as well. We tried a prosciutto crudo panino with fresh mozzarella, basil, and arugula. Noticing a theme? Prosciutto crudo is a different type of cured Italian ham, thicker than prosciutto di parma but just as savory. And talk about smart cooking, the sandwich bread is leftover pizza dough, cooked up in the oven into perfect rolls. This is a great idea for the local lunch crowd prowling the area. These hearty paninis would definitely keep me satisfied during a long work day and give me just enough incentive to go back for dinner.
Now, if you hang out with Cousin Vinnie, chances are you get treated right. Jeff and Chef Salatino had another surprise for us that wasn’t even on the menu yet. I’ll call it a Banana Galette. Or a Banana Tart. Or….a Banana Pizza. Whatever it’s called, it was amazing. Bananas were roasted in the pizza oven on fresh dough with sugar until they caramelized. Once it’s out of the oven, it gets doused with powdered sugar, mint, and a healthy scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. We enjoyed ours with a cup of strong Mati espresso, perfectly complementing our dessert. My photographer Lauren Palminteri doesn’t like bananas. Or so she told me. I still have the fork mark in my hand where she stabbed me to get the last bite. Let’s hope they keep this on the menu and have band aids available for customers.
Nella is perfect for just about any occasion and even offers a private room for parties or special dinners. Great for families, the menu also provides kid friendly pizzas at parent friendly prices. It really is a treat to get to have a meal that was so completely enjoyable and it definitely makes my job more fun. Timothy our waiter was awesome and took great care of us. He and Jeff obviously love their jobs which made our lunch even better.
Don’t wait for the opportunity to eat at Nellas. Make some time and get there, before the seats are taken. I see this place being a huge hit for a very long time. Make it one of your favorites today.
A special treat is coming to the south Loop just blocks away from Solder Field, Millennium Park and the museum campus. A’Cappella – Your Friendly Neighborhood Bistro is planning its grand opening this month to great hype. With a menu focusing on comfort food and home cooking, A’Cappella has a cozy neighborhood feel in the heart of the city. For those lovebirds that want to pick up a delicious sandwich served on spectacular Labriola bread and head to the lake for a picnic, A’Cappella offers a generous take out menu as well. Come visit for their soft-opening this Sunday for a Mother’s Day Brunch sneak preview people! The official opening is on Thursday, May 13th at 10am!! A’Cappella is exactly what south loop needs. Do yourself a favor and show your Mother how much you love her. Take her to A’Cappella and she’ll be singing your praises.
Just a sample of their menu:
Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet Details:
Located: 1301 S Michigan Avenue
Phone: 312.922.0600
website: www.acappellabistro.com