Expats in Beirut

I have already posted this over at the Lebanon board, so sorry for double posting!

I am about to apply for a job with an organisation that would send me to Beirut for 3 years (in case I get the job, which would be great). I do have a few questions regarding life as an European woman in her early 30s - I have lived in Cairo for over a year, and fully enjoyed it, so I am aware of the whole Middle Eastern cultural blah blah ;)

- is Beirut really the fun and happening place I was told in Egypt? Is it really party city, and if yes, also for the over-30 age group?

- what's the expat community like? do you get to know Lebanese people as well as Expats, or is the whole Expat community very cliquey? Is there an English speaking community that's separated from others, or is it people from all over the globe (possibly in different circles, but I hope you get what I mean)?

- how much do I need to earn to have a good life there (i.e. decent flat that's not too far off, possibly shared; arabic course, cinema, partying etc.?)?

- is it safe? (and I don't mind the traffic, I have survived Cairo....)

- on the overall - hassling scale, where 10 is Cairo and 1 is Lapland, where would you place Beirut? I mean being hassled for the fact that you are a foreign woman (wearning something similar to a Burqa (without the head bit)) AS WELL AS being hassled into buying an original pharaonic plastic camel for 100$?

thanks a lot for your input!