52 Things to do in Chicago - Author Talk & Book Signing

From that gallery in River North you haven’t visited yet to the lakeside weekend you keep meaning to plan, experience something new right here at home with 52 Things to Do in Chicago.

Cool things to do in and around the city: Wander over to the zodiac sculptures in Chinatown Square, or soak up some music and history at the Black Ensemble Theater. Try out surfing at Montrose Beach, rent a kayak on the Chicago River, or hike the elevated 606 trail. Browse for your next read at an independent bookstore, explore the street art in Pilsen, or admire the architecture on a stroll through the Beverly neighborhood. Catch a classic live blues show, sample Senegalese comfort food, or savor some Southside barbecue on a Sunday

Day trips and weekend getaways: Cycle through the Morton Arboretum, connect with nature in Door County, dive into history in Galena, or unwind for a couple days at the perfect lakeside cabin

Experiences broken down by category: Find ideas for each season, activities for kids, outdoor adventures, exploring Black history, getting to know a new neighborhood, and more

A local's advice: Whether it’s a bucket-list museum or an underrated dive bar, local author Rosalind Cummings-Yeates knows the ins and outs of Chicago.

Easy-to-scan planning tips: Addresses, L stops, and nearby spots, plus tips for avoiding the crowds if you're heading to a popular attraction

Join us Wednesday, July 6 at 6-8pm, as we sit down with Author, Rosalind Cummings-Yeates, in a discussion moderated by Hyde Park's own, Mario Smith, on 52 Things to Do in Chicago.

About Rosalind Cummings-Yeates:

Since I come from three generations of women who read obsessively, piling books on windowsills and stowing them in kitchen cabinets so they’d be readily handy, I really had no choice but to become a writer. It was either that or own a bookstore and I’m just too antsy for that. Bookstores require your presence or at least focused attention and I’d rather be reading, writing or traveling. Preferably all three together.

I starting reading and writing (though not too neatly according to my English teacher mother) at a very early age. The traveling came by the time I was a teen and had observed my grandmother fill three passports of her journeys through six continents. She always traveled with as many books as she had suitcases and managed to come back with dazzling tales of her adventures. So I started traipsing across continents and gathering adventures too. I never plan to stop.

Some people say that I talk as much as I read and write but these are the same people who call me bossy. I’m also part of three generations of teachers who do tend to be a tad bossy but I also had no choice in this. The talking part comes in handy when I teach as an adjunct journalism professor and teach foreign language students as an ESL instructor.

When I’m not writing or reading, traveling or teaching, I’m usually listening to music, tending to my indoor rainforest of 40 plants, or viewing art, fashion or theater.

Host or Publisher The Silver Room