Team What's On pick their favourite things in the UAE right now

These are our favourite things in the UAE right now…

Enjoying a luxe pool day at… Cloud 22

One of the great perks of my job is getting to experience the very best of Dubai, and I’m currently compiling a 2024 bucket list of brilliant things visitors need to do in the city. Heading straight to the top of that edit is Cloud 22, the dazzling rooftop pool at Atlantis The Royal. This pool experience doesn’t just ooze wow-factor because of its sweeping city vistas and high-fashion collaboration with Dolce & Gabbana (although they certainly help). It’s the intuitive, attentive service, the floating beds set on the surface of the water, the air conditioned cabanas where guests can retreat from the heat, and the excellent menu of sharing plates that are befitting of the elevated setting, but still sensible enough to dine poolside. Stay tuned next week for the full visitor master list next week. – Alice Holtham-Pargin, Group Editor

@cloud22dubai

Getting a hair makeover at… SOTA Salon

I’ve lived in Dubai almost a decade, but in that time I’ve tried many different salons on the quest to find someone who can really work magic with blonde hair, particularly when it’s constantly exposed to the Dubai elements that don’t particularly compliment healthy hair. When a friend with great hair recommended Ellis to me, I knew I’d be in safe hands. She’s newly joined SOTA Salon in JVC, a gorgeous two-floor space with a retail shop and coffee store downstairs, and a salon floor upstairs, where as well as hair treatments, they offer nails, eyelashes, brows, waxing and even massages. On the main salon floor, the team of expertly-trained hairdressers are on-hand to cater to all hair and nail needs, while relaxing music plays in the background. We talked through the look I wanted to achieve, and as I worked away on my laptop, Ellis rapidly got to work on my colour. After two hours in the chair, I was very happy with the results, and left feeling fabulous. – Alice Holtham-Pargin, Group Editor

@sota.salon, @ellishair.dubai

Flexing useless trivia at… Garden on 8

What’s the capital of Burkina Faso? Can you name the species of penguin in the image above? What’s the second tallest mountain on earth? What is the point of all of this, almost exclusively useless, information rattling around in your head? The – pub quiz. That’s what. This week as part of our send-off for friend, colleague and recipient of Chair Fancier Monthly’s Woman of the Year Award 2023 – Shelby Gee, We took part in Garden on 8’s super fun, almost cheat-proof quiz hosted by ARN DJs Jono and Rich. We did OK for a small team, but that night it wasn’t the winning that was important… It was what we were losing, we’re now one full Shelby short of a Shelby. – Miles Buckeridge, Deputy Editor Dubai

@gardenon8dxb

Living in a time where we can talk about… Mental health

When I was growing up, even in the years of my early adulthood – there was a lot more judgey stigma around mental health issues. I’ve suffered with various forms of anxiety from around that time. Ironically then people preferred stuffing the topic down the back of a metaphorical sofa and pretending it didn’t exist, which is exactly the sort of cognitive routine that can lead to episodes of disastrously poor mental health. Marking World Mental Health Day this Thursday, it occurred to me that whilst there’s still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to prevailing attitudes, we’re lightyears from the ‘don’t talk about it’ days. If you’re out there and are absolutely not OK at the moment… know you are not alone, it’s a big but necessary step to ask for help, and you will get through this. If you’re looking to take a tentative first step, I put together a guide of free/low cost ways of getting mental health support in the UAE. – Miles Buckeridge, Deputy Editor Dubai

Getting together with Team What’s On for a lunch at the one and only… Kinoya

We here at What’s On love Kinoya. So much so that it picked up the award at our What’s On Restaurant of the Year in 2024 (a very very well-deserved win!). We love its humble beginnings, the out pouring of passion from Chef Neha Mishra, and of course, the food is just beyond delicious. If you haven’t been, let’s just say your hunt for the ultimate ramen in Dubai will end here. But before you dive into the bowl of delicious goodness, whet your appetite with miso butter eggplant – it’s a dish that always gets ordered when any of Team What’s On members are dining here. For my ramen bowl of choice – I went for the tantamen where my noodles come swimming in chicken broth with a sesame-peanut base and spicy oil. Drool… *makes lunch plans for next week* – Aarti Saundalkar, Online Reporter

@kinoya.ae

Enjoying my increased dopamine levels after visiting the new exhibitions at… Arte Museum

If there’s anything that will get me to Dubai Mall, it’s either preview for a really (really) good movie, or… an invite to go see Arte Museum. The globally renowned immersive media art space has just launched eight new experiences including a large-scale digital story of the growth of Dubai from a desert into the stunning bustling metropolis it is now. You will be immersed in golden dunes against a black backdrop forming scenes of iconic landmarks and animals before we are surrounded by a kaleidoscope of colours showcasing current Dubai landmarks intertwined with nature. It was a memorable experience which had me running around the room like a little kid in a candy store. Other new experiences I fell in love with include the glistening seashore, the mighty ocean and the blooming rose field. I can’t wait to revisit. – Aarti Saundalkar, Online Reporter

@artemuseum_dubai