CURB Out of the Dark

ESSENTIALS IN THE DARK
By Margarita Vinogradov
While we all spend at least
some of our day in the literal
dark, here are some products
guaranteed to brighten up
these hours.
ILLUSTRATION BY GRACE LANDSBERG
BOOKS TO KEEP
YOU UP AT NIGHT
By Claire Henneman
“THE GUEST LIST”
BY LUCY FOLEY
A destination wedding results
in a murder. Complicated
relationships and pasts are
revealed, keeping you guessing
whodunit all the way
through.
“THE PUSH”
BY ASHLEY AUDRAIN
In this complicated mother-daughter
relationship
that is told through multiple
generations, Blythe Connor
is determined to have the
relationship with her children
that she always wanted to
have with her mother as a
child. This novel will keep
you guessing until the final
sentence.
“THE SEVEN HUSBANDS
OF EVELYN HUGO”
BY TAYLOR JENKINS REID
Monique Grant, an average
journalist, is contacted to
write the story of a lifetime
about iconic actress Evelyn
Hugo. Hugo has not invited
media attention in decades,
but with Grant she shares
details of her personal and
professional life that have
never been told before. The
biggest question of all: Who
is the love of Evelyn’s life?
And why is Grant the one to
tell the story?
“VERITY”
BY COLLEEN HOOVER
Verity Crawford, a highly
successful novelist, has a
tragic accident that leaves
her unable to write again.
Lowen Ashleigh is hired to
finish Verity’s renowned book
series. During Ashleigh’s
stay at Verity’s house, some
unsettling events occur. Plot
twists will keep you guessing
and incredibly creeped out.
“THE PAPER PALACE”
BY MIRANDA COWLEY HELLER
Elle Bishop cheated on her
husband with her best friend
last night, and “The Paper
Palace” tells the story of how
she got there. A dark family
history and upbringing is
revealed between a blended
family.
For the Night Owl
Happy light
$30, verilux.com
Created to simulate sunlight for
those that do not get enough
during the daytime hours, this light
is proven to enhance mood, energy
and sleep without the harmful
effects of the sun’s UV rays.
“All The Light We Cannot See”
by Anthony Doerr
$24, amazon.com
Like the double meaning of this
very issue, this title is both a literal
reference to the spectrum of light
beyond the ability of human eyes
to detect and a metaphor for the
invisible stories within World War II.
Cable holder
$7, amazon.com
This adhesive cable holder set will
be sure to keep all of your messy
cables organized.
4 CURB
For the Midnight Snacker
Chamomile tea
$3, target.com
A popular herbal tea with
a variety of health benefits,
evidence suggests that its
antioxidants can reduce
inflammation, lessen symptoms
of anxiety and depression, boost
the immune system and promote
sleepiness.
Almonds
$7, target.com
Almonds have been shown
to lower the risk of developing
chronic diseases like Type 2
diabetes, which research
attributes to their
monounsaturated fat and fiber.
For the Beauty Sleeper
Sleeping mask
$10, amazon.com
Gentle on the delicate skin around
the eyes, this face mask will block
both natural and artificial light,
ensuring a deep and undisturbed
sleep.
Lavender essential oil
$24, pharmaca.com
Studies show that lavender oil
increases the amount of slow and
deep-wave sleep as well as vigor
in the morning.
Beauty and sleep vitamins
$17, target.com
This blend of melatonin, biotin and
vitamin E will ease you into a deep
sleep while strengthening your
hair, skin and nails.
For the Early Riser
Sunrise alarm clock
$100, amazon.com
Popularized by TikTok and chosen
as the top pick by The New York
Times, this alarm clock simulates
the sunset and sunrise during any
time of day — which is especially
useful in rooms without windows.
“The Little Book of
Mindfulness” by Tiddy Rowan
$10, amazon.com
This small book promises wisdom
on how to calm your mind and
lighten your spirit. Read it in the
morning to help declutter your
thoughts.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KALLI ANDERSON
PHOTOS COURTESY OF WISCONSIN DNR BAT PROGRAM
IT’S FREAKIN’ BATS!
By Joe Rickles
Bats — nature’s only flying mammal — may seem
like a creepy concept out of Transylvania, but
Wisconsin has its own species of native bats
that are vital to our ecosystem. Yet the state’s
population of these misunderstood critters is in danger,
and they need our help.
GETTING SICK
White-Nose Syndrome is a mysterious fungal disease affecting
bats that originated in upstate New York around 2007. Since then,
it has spread across the country and has done significant damage
to bat populations across North America. Although numbers of
bats have stabilized in recent years, they are far from the pre-
White-Nose years.
WHERE TO FIND THEM
Bats live all over Wisconsin — maybe even in your own backyard.
“If you’re there at sunset, you’ll often see lots of bats flying over
Lake Mendota or Monona,” says Amy Wray, a postdoctoral research
assistant at the University of Wyoming who studied Wisconsin’s bats.
“They’re pretty common at Picnic Point, [which] has a little bat house
so there’s usually bats flying over the water there.”
DIFFERENT SPECIES
The Badger State is home to eight different kinds of
bats. The most common are little brown bats and big
brown bats, which hibernate together underground
during the cold winter months.
HELP WITH A BAT HOUSE
You don’t have to be a biologist or expert to help bats. One of the best
things to do is build a bat house. Here’s some tips from conservation
biologist Heather Kaarakka of the Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources.
• Do a little bit of research into where you can place it and what type
of house you’re going to build.
• Generally, the bigger the house the better success you have.
• Bats tend to like it warm. It helps them gestate and the pups mature
quickly. Paint your house a dark color.
• Place it 10 to 15 feet in the air. Avoid putting it in a tree because trees
can provide too much shade and offer easy access for predators like
raccoons.