5 Things We Love: St. Patrick’s Day

5 Things We Love is a shortlist of newly discovered stuff you have got to see, hear, wear, use or eat. What are you loving this week? Send a brief description of your latest favorite thing, where to find it and how much it costs, along with your name and contact info to features@staradvertiser.com.

Guzzle a Guinness to help firefighters

Kick off the St. Patrick’s Day weekend with an event that combines community support, live music and a generous dollop of Irish spirit — the "Guinness Gives Back to Firefighters" benefit show from 6 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. the next morning at Anna O’Brien’s, 2440 S. Beretania St. A portion of each Guinness sale will go to Oahu firefighters. Nationwide, "Guinness Gives Back" is supporting the Leary Firefighters Foundation, spearheaded by actor and comedian Dennis Leary ("Rescue Me"). Featured musical acts range from traditional Celtic to Irish punk, with some classic country for good measure. The lineup includes Jason Owens, Brendan, Kieran Murphy, Hooligans Harp and Church of Cash, a Johnny Cash tribute band that originated here in 2009 and is making a homecoming for the event. Ages 21 and over; cost: $10. Call 946-5190. — Elizabeth Kieszkowski

Festive cupcakes appease kids, adults

Hokulani Bake Shop always finds a sweet way to celebrate holidays. You don’t have to be Irish to enjoy a green velvet cupcake ($2.75), a seasonal twist on its red velvet cousin. For more adult palates, the bakery offers up a Guinness cupcake with Bailey’s butter cream frosting ($3.50), decorated to perfection with a shamrock. Hokulani has shops in Pearlridge Uptown (488-2253), Waterfront Plaza (536-2253), the Hyatt Regency (923-2253) and Pioneer Plaza (537-2253). — Donica Kaneshiro

Stout shampoo delivers smooth locks

Nothing says St. Patrick’s Day quite like beer shampoo. Lush’s Cynthia Sylvia Stout Shampoo is full of real Irish stout, along with lemon and balsamic vinegar, for clean, silky hair. Don’t be put off by your first whiff of a rich, yeasty beer — and who says that’s a bad thing? A refreshing citrus scent takes over as you work it into a generous lather. A friend with curly hair says it works wonders on her frizz. Find the shampoo in three sizes from $9.95 (3.3 ounces) to $29.95 (16.9 ounces) at Lush Ala Moana and at 713 Front St., Lahaina. — Christie Wilson

Pogues give folk punk Irish flair

"The Very Best of the Pogues" (Shout! Factory, $13.99) represents a career-spanning retrospective of one of my favorite bands, fronted by Shane MacGowan, who epitomizes the free-wheeling and generous Irish spirit that infuses the group’s folk-punk sound. "Fairytale of New York," the street-wise Christmas song that is the perfect antidote to treacly holiday tunes, is here, along with a rarity in an early single, "The Irish Rover," a 1987 U.K. hit collaboration with the Dubliners. The bulk of the tracks comes from two of the Pogues’ more popular albums, the debut, "Rum, Sodomy and the Lash" (produced by Elvis Costello), and "If I Should Fall from Grace with God." My favorites are "Dirty Old Town," "A Pair of Brown Eyes" and the wonderful folk-styled ballad "Thousands Are Sailing." — Gary Chun

Go green with emerald-hued makeup line

I’ve been using the color green as eyeliner for several years. I like the way it cancels redness and brightens my brown eyes on four hours of sleep a night. Now the beauty world has caught up, and the genius Sephora+Pantone Universe collaboration is leading the way with The Color of the Year Collection, focused on emerald for 2013. You can pick up products ranging from nail color to mascara by the piece, or get the essentials in The Color of the Year Collection box set for $68. I especially love the Color Theory "Bionic" Shadow Block ($26) with a trio of colors — Emerald, White Asylum and deep-navy Crown Blue — that delivers a smoky eye in spring’s hottest colors. And the fluid eyeliner ($17) is so much easier to use than eye shadow. Check out a video for creating the smoky eye at my Fashion Tribe blog. — Nadine Kam