{"id":227076,"date":"2026-01-08T10:33:16","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T10:33:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/227076\/"},"modified":"2026-01-08T10:33:16","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T10:33:16","slug":"how-to-pretend-you-live-in-dubai-and-not-canberra-during-this-weeks-heatwave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/227076\/","title":{"rendered":"How to pretend you live in Dubai (and not Canberra) during this week\u2019s heatwave"},"content":{"rendered":"

Idea: Let\u2019s take a lead from the residents of that other purpose-built capital city \u2013 Dubai \u2013 and go full luxe in this week\u2019s heat. Because if we\u2019re going to sweat, we might as well do it in style, right?<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how to pretend you live in Dubai (and not Canberra) during the heatwave.<\/p>\n

1. Dress like you\u2019ve just stepped off an Emirates flight.
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Photo: Virgimal Donado.<\/p>\n

Think crisp whites, designer slides, silk headscarves and sunglasses that double as windshields. Bonus points for linen from Momento Dezigns.<\/p>\n

2. Only travel by air-conditioned vehicle (preferably a white SUV).
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Photo: Abdulwahab Alawadhi.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve got a white 2017 Toyota Kluger \u2013 winning. If your Corolla doesn\u2019t cut it, just call an Uber Premier and pretend you\u2019re being driven to a diplomatic function and not Kippax Woolies.<\/p>\n

3. Relocate your afternoons to luxury hotel bars.
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not quite the Dubai skyline but it\u2019ll do. Head to The Howling Moon, Canberra\u2019s first rooftop bar, to escape the heat. Photo: Facebook.<\/p>\n

Canberra\u2019s answer to rooftop glamour? Layla Bar, Howling Moon or QT Lounge. Make sure you sit inside in the aircon, order a rare vintage of Dom and spend the afternoon judging people.<\/p>\n

4. Make Canberra Centre your Dubai Mall.
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Main photo: Chanel. Inset: Reza Mohannadi.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re not \u201cescaping the heat\u201d \u2013 you\u2019re just repositioning your aesthetic. Try on perfume you\u2019ll never buy at Mecca and pants that cost more than your first car at Viktoria & Woods. Let that security guy at Chanel question how long is too long \u201cjust browsing\u201d in a store without buying.<\/p>\n

5. Book a pool pass (but make it elite).
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Lounging by the pool at the Hyatt? Yes please. Photo: Hyatt Hotel Canberra.<\/p>\n

Go where the towels are fluffy and the cocktails are strong. Think: Hotel Realm, the Hyatt, or that friend of a friend with a pool in Red Hill who owes you a favour. (Richard Luton, I\u2019m looking at you.)<\/p>\n

6. Take sunset photos like you\u2019re on a marina.
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

That could easily be Lake Burley Griffin in the background, right? Photo: Elizaveta Chayko.<\/p>\n

1. Go to Lake Burley Griffin.
2. Stand in front of the water.
3. Turn slightly.
4. Tilt head.
5. Filter it until it looks like you\u2019re in Abu Dhabi.<\/p>\n

7. Only run errands in the very early morning.
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Photo: Maryna B.<\/p>\n

6 am Coles dash? Yes. By 10 am you\u2019re back in your climate-controlled haven in Bonner, curtains drawn, resting like a queen between negotiations.<\/p>\n

8. Adopt an accent (any accent). But say \u201cdarling\u201d a lot.
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

The Dubai skyline just needs a Telstra Tower silhouette in the mix to be perfect. Photo: Aleksandar Pasaric.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t live in Canberra: you\u2019re just based here temporarily while finalising a property deal in Dubai. Lie to yourself. Lie to others. It\u2019s survival.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Idea: Let\u2019s take a lead from the residents of that other purpose-built capital city \u2013 Dubai \u2013 and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":227077,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[242,85,46,141],"class_list":["post-227076","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-environment","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227076","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=227076"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227076\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/227077"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=227076"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=227076"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=227076"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}