Time for some therapy

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THE WEEK IN REVIEW

THIS WEEKEND: Fitch downgrades Egypt’s sovereign credit rating, again + Death toll rises in Palestine with 10.6k dead

Good morning friends and we wish you a very happy Friday. We have a packed issue with several economic updates, a smattering of privatization news, and some energy developments.

Therapy isn’t as taboo as it once was — especially if you know how to approach it. In fact, today our mental well-being accounts to our own physical and emotional wellness and contributes immensely to our longevity, as well.

And with that said, we are sharing a list of venues to visit if you want to see a therapist. Whether you are dealing with a one-off issue or have a lot of knots to unravel, we hope that you find a safe starting point from our list below.

Enterprise Weekend comes out each Friday at 9:00am CLT. We’ll be back on Sunday at 6am with EnterpriseAM. Until then: Enjoy the weekend.

LAST WEEK IN 3 MINS-

Israel’s ruthless assault on Gaza entered its fifth week and claimed the lives of over 10k Palestinians, according to Palestinian Health Ministry records. The IDF’s aerial bombing campaign continued to exact an enormous toll on civilians and infrastructure in the territory, while ground forces pushed deeper into Gaza.

In business news, we had a smattering of energy, privatization, and macro updates this week: We had the usual economic data points that come with the start of a new month, as non-oil private sector performance indicators pointed to a continued contraction at the same time as yet another credit ratings agency slashed our sovereign credit rating.

On the privatization front, Heliopolis Housing and Development could be up for grabs and ADQ might be in the running for a stake in another state-owned enterprise. Fresh energy investments and news of increased gas supply reaching our shores also rounded out a busy week.

ISRAEL’S WAR ON GAZA-

Last weekend, Israel carried out attacks all over Gaza, killing more innocent civilians and destroying homes.Israel attacked an ambulance convoy outside of Al Shifa hospital, two refugee camps, four UN schools providing shelter for refugees, the AFP’s Gaza bureau, and the French Institute in Gaza.

Ground forces entered Gaza City on Tuesday in what the Israeli Defense Forces are portraying as an operation aimed at destroying Hamas’ tunnels, eliminating ammo dumps, and killing its senior commanders.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken ended three days of diplomacy in the region no closer to a consensus about the best way forward in Israel’s brutal war on Gaza.

If Israel defeats Hamas, the occupation forces could be back on the ground in Gaza full-time: “Israel will for an indefinite period” have overall security responsibility for Gaza following the war, Netanyahu said. The White House has since opposed this course of action, with Blinken reiterating its position that the Palestinian Authority should be handed control of Gaza should Hamas be defeated.

The death toll from Israeli strikes in Gaza has reached over 10.6k, including over 4k children.

So far, 569 trucks have entered Gaza since October 7. 500 trucks entered the strip every day prior to the war.

Over 500k Palestinians in north Gaza are “on the brink of starvation” due to Israel’s siege, according to Action Aid.

More than 1k foreigners and 84 injured Gazans crossed the Rafah border crossing into Egypt between Wednesday and Friday last week, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing Egyptian officials..

Tens of foreign nationals left Gaza on Monday after border authorities reopened the Rafah crossing following a two-day suspension.

And some 500+ foreign nationals and dual citizens were evacuated from Gaza on Tuesday into Egypt.

SOME ECONOMY NEWS-

#1- Fitch Ratings downgraded our sovereign credit rating deeper into junk on Friday. The ratings agency cut our credit rating to B- from B due to “increased risks to external financing, macroeconomic stability and the trajectory of already-high government debt,” in addition to slow progress on reforms and FX constraints.

#2- The contraction in our non-oil private sector deepened in October, with S&P Global’s latest PMI index reaching 47.9, down from 48.7 in September. The index posted its “sharpest deterioration” in five months due to rising prices and the ongoing FX shortage.

#3- Net foreign reserves were more or less flat at USD 35.1 bn at the end of October compared to USD 34.97 bn at the end of September.

#4- Economic growth almost halved to 3.8% in FY 2022-23 from 6.6% the year prior due to the effects of the war in Ukraine on supply chains and the “exacerbation of the external debt crisis in emerging markets and developing countries.”

#5- On a more positive note, getting through our FX crunch could be within reach. That’s according to a research note to clients by EFG Hermes lead MENA economist Mohamed Abu Basha, which estimates that we need a foreign currency liquidity buffer of between USD 8-10 bn to get through the FX crunch and go ahead with a successful float in the coming months. EFG Hermes believes the Madbouly government will be able to bring in that money from a combination of privatization, debt, and state revenues.

CHANGES TO THE BUDGET-

Ministers approved in principle fresh cuts to government spending through the end of the current fiscal year due to the ongoing FX crunch. New projects that require FX and are yet to begin and any spending that fails to qualify as “extremely necessary,” will be delayed.

A COUPLE OF ENERGY UPDATES-

#1- Israeli gas imports picked up last week to 250 mn cubic feet per day after a sudden slump in supply following the outbreak of the war on Gaza. Separate reports put that figure at 350 mn cubic feet per day.

#2-The government has reportedly increased gas supplies earmarked for fertilizer companies, reversing a 30% supply cut introduced last week following a sharp downturn in imports of natural gas from Israel.

#3- Vestas’ 250 MW Suez wind farm is due to link up with the grid next month: The wind farm, in the works since 2020, will be handed over to the New and Renewable Energy Authority by mid-December.

#4- Cheiron’s Pico Petroleum and the Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (Kufpec) will invest USD 119.5 mn over the next five years to increase production at the Geisum and Tawila West concession in the Gulf of Suez.

#5-Acwa Power and Hassan Allam are going to start building the region’s largest wind farm in 2024: The partners expect to break ground on the USD 1.5 bn, 1.1 GW wind farm in the Gulf of Suez — the largest of its kind in the Middle East — early next year.

PRIVATIZATION DEVELOPMENTS-

#1- ADQ might have an EgyptAlum acquisition in the pipeline: Abu Dhabi’s wealth fund ADQ is reportedly mulling over acquiring up to a 30% stake in EGX-listed Egypt Aluminum (EgyptAlum) from the Holding Company for Metallurgical Industries, which holds an 89.8% stake in the company.

ADQ might have competition: While ADQ has not made an official offer, other Gulf entities and Qatar are interested in snapping up a portion of the company.

#2- The government is considering selling a stake in Heliopolis Housing and Development and has hired NI Capital to offer a valuation ahead of a potential sale. Local and Gulf investors have previously shown interest in the company, which the government reportedly considers one of the easiest state-owned firms to exit.

#3- Private-sector players could soon manage the nation’s airports, as the government prepares to invite private companies to submit bids for management rights, Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly said this week. Operation and management of seaports, dry ports, and public transport lines could soon be up for tender as well.

DEBT WATCH-

#1- Our second samurai bond issuance hit the Japanese market: Egypt raised JPY 75 bn (c. USD 500 mn) in a JPY-denominated bond sale in Japan, marking the country’s second samurai bond sale.

#2- Orascom Real Estate (ORE) lined up EGP 6 bn to fast-track construction at its O West project in Sixth of October.

#3- The Arab African International Bank (AAIB) extended a EGP 3.5 bn facility to Tatweer Misr to accelerate the construction of its Il Monte Galala project in Ain Sokhna and Bloomfields in Mostakbal City.

#4- United Bank’s financing arm United Finance raised EGP 617.5 mn in a securitized bond issuance. The bond was backed by a EGP 993 mn portfolio of leasing contracts.

LEGISLATION-

Cigarette tax hike was signed into law: The new VAT law on cigarettes, which adds EGP 0.50 to all tobacco products including heated tobacco products and liquid tobacco, was passed into law this week.

AND- Eastern Tobacco followed up with a price hike: State-owned tobacco giant Eastern Company published a new price list for its tobacco products starting yesterday that raises prices between 12% and 33% following the new VAT amendments.

TOURISM-

Egypt is on track to meet its target of attracting 15 mn tourists this year despite the impact of the war in Gaza. Less than 10% of bookings have been canceled since the war started more than four weeks ago, and tourist numbers were up 7% y-o-y in October.

WHAT’S HAPPENING NEXT WEEK-

The Arab League is getting together tomorrow for an emergency meeting in Riyadh called for by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The league’s main goal at the moment is to establish a ceasefire in Gaza.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation meets on Sunday, 12 November in Riyadh for an extraordinary meeting “to discuss the brutal Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people.”

The House of Representatives reconvenes Sunday, 12 November.

Deadline for technical and financial offers for Misr Aluminum Company rehabilitationproject elapses on Sunday, 12 November after being extended from the previous deadline of 12 October.

Destination Africa takes place next Tuesday and Wednesday, 14-15 November at the Royal Maxim Palace Kempinski Hotel.

Egypt VC Summit also runs on Tuesday and Wednesdayat the Conrad Hotel.

The deadline for the mandatory tender offer to buy back Dice Sports and Casual Wear’s46.9% stake elapses on Wednesday, 15 November.

Cairo International Film Festival kicks off on Wednesday, 15 November and runs through Friday, 24 November.

Check out our full calendar on the web for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events, national holidays and news triggers.

YOUR MOST CLICKED LINKS-

Information about the 13 agreements with local and international companies in the Transmea2023 expo was frequently opened. (Transport Ministry statement)
More details about the Chicago Booth Executive Program in El Gouna and its deadline on Sunday 11 February 2024 interested readers. (The Chicago Booth Executive Program)
The documentary on Herro Mustafa Garg’s family got plenty of love. (Wikipedia page)
Fawry’s statement falsifying the news of a cyberattack had many of you clicking. (Fawry statement)
Eastern Company’s statement on cigarette price hikes was also popular. (Eastern Company’s statement)

AROUND THE WORLD IN SEVEN DAYS-

Israel’s relentless air and ground campaign in Gaza continued to dominate headlines in the international press:

Tensions between Biden and Netanyahu over a “humanitarian pause” and post-war plans captured the attention of western news outlets this week: Differences between the Biden administration and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s preferred handling of the war in Gaza were publicly aired this week. Biden’s push for a pause in fighting to allow hostage negotiations to commence has fallen on deaf ears as Netanyahu insists on pressing forward with his brutal campaign. Netanyahu’s proposal to reoccupy Gaza after the conflict, also proved to be a sore point between the two allies.

The 2024 US election cycle is starting to garner more widespread attention in the international press. Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, is polling ahead of Joe Biden in five of six battleground states, according to the New York Times. The Financial Times suggests Trump’s lead in polls is owed primarily to “fears over war and economy” hurting Biden. US voters will head to the polls in a little under a year to cast their ballots in the presidential elections on Tuesday, 5 November.

Epic Games’ lawsuit against Google is also generating some digital ink: A month-long trial against Google kicked off this week after Epic Games — the video game creator behind Fortnite — filed a lawsuit accusing the tech giant of monopolizing the Android app market by forcing developers to use its own payment system and charging excessive fees on Google Play.

ALSO- FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was found guilty of stealing from his crypto exchange’s customers in New York on Thursday.

⛅ THE WEATHER THIS WEEKEND- Today’s weather will be mostly sunny with a high of 29°C in the day time dropping to a cooler 20°C in the evening. Tomorrow sees more foggy weather in the morning but with sunny skies later. By the evening the thermometer should drop to 18°C, according to our favorite weather app.

HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND-

The Ibero-American Film Week has kicked off and will continue until 18 November. A new film is displayed every day at 6:30pm at Zawya cinema, Downtown. You can learn more about the film’s schedule from here. Entrance is based on a first-come, first-serve policy.

Catch up on Ali Elhaggar’s live interview and performance. The event will be hosted by the TV presenter Mahmoud Saad and will be held at the Arab Music Institute theater, Ramses on Saturday 11 November. Book your ticket from here.

Looking for something to get your heart pumping? The TriFactory’s El Gouna Half Marathon is taking place on Saturday, 11 November.

HAPPENING NEXT WEEKEND-

The exhibition Forever Is Now is back again at the Pyramids, open 9am until 4pm daily through 18 November. Book your ticket here or buy one on arrival.

Catch a rendition of Tawfiq al-Hakim’s Bank of Anxiety this week and next. It follows two friends who establish a private bank that uses anxiety as the currency. The play is scheduled from Wednesday-Sunday, 15-19 November at the Falaki Theater at AUC’s Tahrir campus. Admittance is unpaid, but you will be required to show a photo ID.

Your guide to therapy services in Cairo

Our fast-paced lives, daily stress, and endless sources of anxiety are bound to wreck havoc on our health. It goes without saying that only a good mind can house a good body and more and more research has proven that mental health is linked to one’s overall physical well-being.

This weekend’s guide focuses on therapy, what kinds of therapy are out there, and where it can be found. Below, we have compiled a list of psychology and psychiatry centers that may offer assistance when needed. These centers are equipped with professionals who can provide support and guidance in times of need.

DISCLAIMER- We are not medical professionals and this guide is not designed to replace a professional consultation. However, it is intended to act as a starting point to understand the different types of therapy and where to access these services.

BEFORE WE START- It is important to understand the difference between the different individuals who work in the field of help and guidance:

What is the difference between a coach, therapist, and psychologist?

PSYCHIATRISTS- hold a medical degree and they are authorized to prescribe a medicine.
PSYCHOLOGISTS- have a bachelor’s in psychology, they can diagnose a case but they are not allowed to prescribe a medicine.
LIFE COACH- works with individuals to improve the quality of their lives, help them reach their goals, and set up customized long and short-term plans. They do not prescribe medicine or diagnosis or hold either a medical or a psychology degree.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF THERAPY-

#1- MARITAL AND COUPLES THERAPY- Here the sessions focus on helping partners cope with their problems, eliminate their negative interactions, elevate their positive ones, and make their relationships survive longer and stronger.

Sessions usually start with the couples together with their therapist and gradually after a couple of sessions, the therapist may sit with each partner individually.

#2- GROUP THERAPY- This is a form of psychotherapy through which one or two therapists sit with a small group of patients to discuss their problems. It usually focuses on specific mental health concerns such as grief, depression, anxiety, and others.

#3- COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (CBT)- This psychological treatment method that has proven effective in addressing various issues such as eating disorders, anxiety disorders, depression, alcohol and drug abuse problems, and relationship difficulties.

#4- DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY (DBT)- Expect conversational therapy based on CBT that deals with people who are highly emotional. It is mostly effective with people with borderline personality disorder.

#5-ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT THERAPY (ACT)- This therapy is a form of mindfulness-based psychotherapy that assists you in maintaining your attention on the present moment and embracing your emotions without fear of getting judged or rejected. Its main objective is to enable you to channel your energy towards healing rather than fixing negative aspects.

There are other kinds of therapy out there; the above list just includes the psychotherapy ones around.

WHERE TO CONSIDER GOING-

#1- Heal Counseling Center is a counseling center founded in 2015 by Noha El Nahas.

SERVICES OFFERED- It offers adult and child therapy, parental guidance, marital and couple therapy, and life coaching.

The center also hosts psycho-education workshops which are mainly given to psychologists and it discusses a certain topic.

A session lasts from 50 minutes to an hour and it can be both online or in person.

PRO TIP- You can be added to a waiting list in case you do not find an immediate appointment with the therapist.

PRICE TAG: A session is for EGP 700.

WHERE: The Heal center is located at 8 Abdel Azim Awad Allah, Heliopolis.

#2- Good Hope Psychiatry Clinic is divided into three sections including, the general adult clinic, the child and adolescent clinic, and the psychosis and rehabilitation clinic.

SERVICES OFFERED-The clinic’s services include individual and couples counseling and child therapy, in addition to psychological tests and hospital-based for psychotic disorders and addiction treatment.

The teamhas both psychiatrists and psychologists and they can offer the session either online or in person.

PRICE TAG: The session price ranges from EGP 550-750 depending on the psychologist and the psychiatrist.

PRO TIP-Working days start from Saturday until Wednesday and their working hours start from 12pm until 9pm.

WHERE: The clinic is located at 1 Gad Elhaq street off of Sayed Zakareya, Masaken Sheraton. Their other branch is located at 38 Syria street in Mohandessin.

#3- Serenity Psychology Center is a mental health service center.

SERVICES OFFERED-The center offers individual and couple therapy, in addition to workshops or support group therapy that are arranged every now and then. They also have psychodrama therapy with the center’s founder Ammenah.

They currently have eight sessions of support group therapy focusing on grieving and how to cope with the pain of losing your beloved one.

PRICE TAG- A psychodrama session is for EGP 1.9k, an individual session is for 1.2k and a couple counseling session is for 1.6k.

WHERE- The center is located in two spots including Sarayat Al Gharbeyah, Maadi, and New Cairo.

#4- Nine Psychology Center was founded by Dr. Ashraf Adel. It has a diverse team including 40 psychologists and psychiatrists working with a wide range of psychiatric disorders.

SERVICES OFFERED-The therapy fields include art, psychodrama, family, marital and couples, CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behavioural Therapy), and others. You can explore more of the options here.

PRICE TAG- Session fees range from EGP 650-2.5k, and it depends on the psychologist or the psychiatrist and his/her experience and field of therapy. The session duration ranges from 45 minutes to an hour. Sessions can be offered both online and in person.

WHERE- Nine Psychology Center is located in 86 Road 9, Maadi and New Cairo.

#5-The Clinic Psychology Center and Maadi Psychology Center are interconnected and they both work jointly.

SERVICES OFFERED- They offer adult, couple, child, and adolescent therapy. They also have group therapy for drug-addiction cases. A session lasts for 50 minutes and it can be either online or in-person.

PRICE TAG- The session fees range from EGP 900 to 1.8k. They work from Sunday till Wednesday.

WHERE- Maadi Psychology Center has multiple locations in Maadi (Saryat and Degla), New Cairo and Sheikh Zayed. The Clinic Psychology Center is located at 2B Street 200, Maadi.

#7- The Wellness Hub is a psychology center that has therapists, clinical psychologists, coaches, and nutritionists on its team.

SERVICES OFFERED-It offers adult psychotherapy, group therapy, child and adolescent therapy, marital and couple therapy, and life coaching. They also offer online and in-person sessions that can be booked through their website.

PRICE TAG- A session costs EGP 700.

WHERE-9 Hassan Mousa El Akkad St., Heliopolis.

#8- Relief Psychology Center was founded in 2020.

SERVICES OFFERED- The center provides adult psychotherapy, marriage counseling, psychiatric consultations, hypnosis, and psychological assessments.

PRO TIP-Relief’s team is not big and it includes psychologists and coaches and mostly females. Sessions are usually conducted weekly, with a duration of 45-50 minutes.

PRICE TAG- Sessions fees range from EGP 950-1.5k.

WHERE- 30 Shagaret El Dor St., Zamalek.

#9- The Egyptian Center of Cognitive Behavior Psychotherapy (ECBT) is a clinical and psychological services center founded and headed by Dr. Reham Aly.

SERVICES OFFERED- ECBT offers individual and group therapy, couple and marital therapy, child therapy, training and workshops, and psychological assessments. The team has psychologists and psychiatrists.

PRICE TAG- Sessions have a standard fee of EGP 500 and they can be online or in-person.

WHERE:Prima Vista Medical Center, Magda Sq, Elmehwer Elmarkazy, Giza Governorate.

#10- Nūn Centeris a holistic health and wellness center that has a variety of services on board in addition to psychotherapy.

SERVICES OFFERED- The center offersindividual psychotherapy, and various fields of coaching in addition to massage, yoga, and a some treatments.

PRICE TAG:Therapy session fees range from EGP 685-1k depending on the therapist.

WHERE- 4 Shafeek Mansour St., Zamalek.

ONLINE PLATFORMS-

#1- O7 Therapy is an online platform and application that was founded in 2019. It offers online therapy sessions and O7 Rassel text support services.

SERVICES OFFERED-The platform offers individual and group therapy, specialized programs, workshops, webinars, assessments, and testing.

All sessions last for 50 minutes. You can book your session through the app and you can have a free-matching 45-minute call that will help you in addressing your concerns and challenges and get you in touch with the most suitable therapist. More awareness content is posted through their blog.

PRICE TAG- Session fees range from EGP 500-2K, and Rassel subscription fees is for EGP 280 monthly.

#2- Shezlong is an online platform that offers virtual sessions.

SERVICES OFFERED- Tackling eating disorders, addiction, depression, anxiety disorders, and other issues. Shezlong’s team is big and new members are constantly added to the team, including psychologists and psychiatrists. Also, there are quick questionnaire templates that are available on the website, that can help you get matched with a suitable therapist or psychiatrist.

PRICE TAG- Sessions fees range from EGP 200-2k. Note, there is an option for a 30-minute session that costs half the price of the 60-minute session.

Dogman: Another unusual Luc Besson film to add to his oeuvre + Trek out to Obour for Alrukn Alyamani’s Yemeni delights

📽 AT THE MOVIES-

Luc Besson’s Dogman is what you get when you cross Joker with Ace Ventura.Not necessarily in a good way, but not necessarily in a bad way either.

The father of hits and misses- The French director has been (derisively) called one of the pioneers of cinema du look since his start in the 1980s. Critics changed their tune when Leon: The Professional debuted in 1994, showing finally that Besson could “do” substance…

…but for every Leon there was a Lucy. The director has been, for four decades, releasing qualitatively inconsistent movies. Dogman is an ode to both the good and the bad.

The film is more tender and tragic than Besson’s usual M.O., but still retains the high-octane violence he’s known for. It follows Douglas Munrow (Caleb Landry Jones), a wheelchair-bound eccentric whose brutal upbringing amplified his love for dogs, to the point where his relationship with them is almost psychic.

He uses this connection to have the pups stage robberies and take down violent gun-slinging gangs threatening the community. Absurd? Yes. Thoroughly satisfying to watch? Absolutely.

It is an absurd tale of revenge, mostly easy to digest with a little suspension of disbelief. It’s entertainingly ridiculous — though sometimes unintentionally. Whenever a bout of preposterousness took us out of the illusion, Jones’s performance instantly pulled us back in.

Jones’s bravura easily offsets the directorial and writing room shortcomings. The movie produced the striking Shakespearean line of “I can walk, but only to my death,” but within minutes, followed it up with the 2010 Tumblr angst post-esque “I believe in God, but I’m not sure He believes in me.” But Jones, who manages to be charming and terrifying at the same time, lands both lines — a testament to his dramatic gravitas.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can catch Dogman in Cairo Festival City Galaxy and VIP cinemas.

📚 FROM THE BOOKSTORE-

The Philosopher of Palo Alto by John Tinnell, the director of digital studies at the University of Colorado, traces the roots of today’s internet age back to one creative source: Mark Weiser. Once a pioneering innovator on a quest for connectivity, Weiser’s legacy still looms large over the tech industry.

Tinnell draws a portrait of an outlier in Silicon Valley — a computer scientist whose first love was philosophy, whose mind was always preoccupied with the purpose of machines and technology within our lives.

The father of ubiquitous computing, as he was called, was the first CTO at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center. Tinnell posits that Weiser, who passed away at the age of 46 in 1999, would be heartbroken if he had lived to see the way technology is used today.

Good technology, according to Weiser, should not mine our experiences for saleable data or demand our attention — it should boost our intuition as we move through life. After meticulous research and interviews with Weiser’s family and colleagues, Tinnell chronicles the tech mogul’s struggle to initiate a new era of computing with the hopes of making it something better.

At the heart of Tinnell’s exploration is the innovator’s desire for a deeper connection, which inspired his work and his dream for what technology should be. It is an almost intimate account that reveals how one man’s dream of benevolent computing created a hyper-connected, surveillance-heavy nightmare. It is a necessary read for anyone interested in understanding how technology is shaping society today and vice versa.

WHERE TO FIND IT- Tinnell’s profile of Weiser is currently unavailable in local bookstores, but you can find the hardcover on Amazon for USD 25 (marked down from USD 29) or you can get started on the Kindle version for USD 20.99.

🍴 HOT AND FRESH OUT OF THE KITCHEN-

Alrukn Alyamani has the decadent and authentic Middle Eastern feast you have been looking for.

Found in Obour, the restaurant offers hearty and authentic Yemeni dishes you might not be able to find easily. The restaurant’s menu speaks to patrons with a penchant for proteins: Their large menu consists of chicken, lamb, and beef dishes to choose from.

You’ll have to dig for your meat. In dedication to authenticity, Alrukn Alyamani cooks most of their meat dishes underground over a wood fire, trapping all the good flavors and juices within the meat.

If you want a taste of each of the Madfoun dishes, order the Madfoun Lovers’ Tray, but make sure to bring a big group — the dish serves eight people. Smaller groups can order individual meals.

The chicken mandi is a well-done classic, and the chicken madghoot, prepared in a pressure cooker, falls off the bones. The fahsa was new for us, and was delicious to eat with their Yemeni bread.

The dessert menu is short and sweet. TheirMa’soub is a must-try, a warm dish made of Yemeni bread soaked in honey, bananas, and nuts. Their Arika is kind of similar to Om Ali, but contains mashed dates, nuts, coconut, honey, and Yemeni spices.

PRO TIP- Watch out for the complimentary sauces — even our most seasoned spicy connoisseurs could barely handle it. Also, the restaurant only serves juice and soda and only delivers to Obour.

💵 Per person: EGP 200-500

🪑 Outdoor seating: Yes

🍺 Alcohol: No

🦽 Accessibility friendly: Yes

A flashback to the early days of the internet with Halt and Catch Fire

Halt and Catch Fire: The best TV show no one watched. The series premiered in 2014, but almost 10 years later it is still one of the best shows out there. The period drama, set in the 80s, follows the PC revolution and the early days of the internet. It stars Lee Pace, Scoot McNairy, and Mackenzie Davis as a cut-throat entrepreneur, a computer engineer, and a prodigy programmer, an unlikely and discordant trio making their foray into personal computing. Originally developed by AMC to replace Mad Men following its finale, it focuses on the mirage created by an emerging industry, and the continuous barrage of obstacles that impede — and sometimes breed — innovation.

This isn’t to say that it’s strictly business — the interpersonal dynamics (and delicious drama) between the characters keep you hooked just as tightly as the technological stakes at hand. There are no good or bad guys on the show — every character is flawed and every character has a wealth of strengths. The show is as much about failure as it is about success, and borrows its name from a computing term — a line of code that causes a computer’s CPU to lock up and cease operation, forcing the user to restart it. Sometimes, however, this bit of code causes the computer to overheat in the process, and, you guessed it, catch fire.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can catch the show on Apple TV.

Don’t overthink and let this podcast do the thinking for you

Overthink offers fresh takes on age-old questions. While this is a philosophy podcast, the two hosts, Professors Ellie Anderson and David Pena-Guzman, make the content accessible to everyone, no background needed. By making it entertaining, you wouldn’t even realize that they’re weaving in Plato’s The Republic or the works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and even authors like Kate Chopin.

What they do is address topics people have been debating and pondering over for centuries, in texts that are often very lengthy and hard to follow, from a modern angle and apply it to day to day feelings and experiences. That way, any listener can relate, but also learn, about philosophical theory in easily digestible episodes that usually run for about an hour.

In one of their recent episodes, the pair discuss how western philosophy intersected with exercise(Plato was a wrestler at some point). We also learn that the Greeks, creators of the Olympics, were in the habit of “building bodies and training souls,” whatever that means. But then the hosts use this to segue into a discussion on modern cravings for health and beauty, that we know sometimes go too far, and how different philosophies throughout history have incorporated exercise into their theories and ways of life.

WHERE TO LISTEN- You can listen in on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Patreon (where you can be a paid subscriber for added perks and episodes).

THE ENTERPRISE ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

NOVEMBER

26 October-18 November: Forever Is Now Exhibition, Pyramids of Giza.

6-18 November (Monday- Saturday): The Ibero-American Film Week, Zawya cinema, Downtown.

8-11 November (Wednesday-Saturday): Sound and Light Show at The Giza Pyramids.

9 November (Thursday): Khaled El Nabawy’s live interview, Arab Music Institute theater, Ramses

9 November (Thursday): Music For Palestine concert at Cairo Jazz Club 610.

9-10 November (Thursday-Friday): Ali Mama Play at the Falaki Theater.

10 November (Friday): Tamer Ashour’s concert, Zed Park Sheikh Zayed.

10 November (Friday): Hisham Abbas ft. Anis concert at Cairo Jazz Club 610.

10 November (Friday): Son Candela concert at The Tap East.

10 November (Friday): Vannitronix concert at El Gouna.

11 November (Saturday): Ali Elhaggar live interview and performance,Arab Music Institute theater, Ramses.

11 November (Saturday): El Gouna Half Marathon 2023, El Gouna.

11 November (Saturday): El Gouna Half Marathon.

11 November (Saturday): Paper Recycling Workshop at Cocoon Cultural Center.

11 November (Saturday): Russell Peters stand-up comedy show, The Marquee Theatre, Cairo Festival City Mall.

14-15 November (Tuesday-Wednesday): Destination Africa Expo at Royal Maxim Palace Kempinski.

15-24 November (Wednesday-Friday): Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF).

16 November (Thursday): ELFIT Sports and Fitness Games at New Capital Sports City.

23 November (Thursday): Saad ElOud Concert at Arkan Plaza.

25 November (Saturday): Masr El Gedida Carnival at Maryland.

26 November (Sunday): Souad Massi concert at Tap East.

DECEMBER

1 December (Friday): Cairo Fun Festival by Bike Zone Egypt in Heliopolis.

1 December (Friday): The Christmas Charity Bazaar, All Saints’ Cathedral, Zamalek.

EVENTS WITH NO SET DATE

2023: The inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Q1 2024: Opening of the newly developed Pyramids Plateau in Giza.

2024

JANUARY

7 January (Sunday): Coptic Christmas.

25 January (Thursday): Revolution Day.

APRIL

9 April (Tuesday): Eid El Fitr (TBC).

25 April (Thursday): National holiday in observance of Sinai Liberation Day (TBC).

MAY

1 May (Wednesday): National holiday in observance of Labor Day (TBC).

5 May (Sunday): Coptic Easter.

6 May (Monday): Sham El Nessim (TBC).

JUNE

15-19 June (Saturday-Wednesday): Eid El Adha (TBC).

30 June (Sunday): June 30 Revolution Day (TBC).

JULY

7 July (Sunday): National holiday in observance of Islamic New Year (TBC).

23 July (Tuesday): Revolution Day (TBC).

SEPTEMBER

15 September (Sunday): National holiday in observance of Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (TBC).

OCTOBER

6 October (Sunday): Armed Forces Day.

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