Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone. With Cairo’s unforgivable lack of Guinness and proper Irish stews, we’ll have to make do with local alternatives. We’re not entirely sure how hawawshi could fit in there, but we maintain it would be a good match.

Irish whiskey is equally lacking in Omm El Donia, but you can practically taste the malted barley in the New York Times’ Irish Whiskeys Rise Above the Annual Celebration. Think of it as a shopping guide (or a straight-ahead list) for the next time you’re abroad. On our list: Kilbeggan’s Connemara single malt. The folks at Kilbeggan have been making whiskey since 1757, but we’ve never gotten around to trying the Connemara.

If you’re not celebrating Paddy’s Day, one thing you should be doing is checking out the Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (D-CAF). It officially opens today and, for the next three weeks, will include local, regional and international music, theatre, dance, visual arts, literature and film by cutting-edge artists from Egypt, the Arab world, and beyond. The events take place in variable locations across downtown Cairo and run until 8 April. D-CAF’s stated aim is the revival and reclamation of Downtown Cairo as the vibrant cultural centre, capitalising on its unique architectural and social heritage. The festival’s program can be downloaded here.

And one final thing: Happy birthday, Papa.