Meet Sarah: Jewish Shark Cage Diver of the Week

by Allison Friedman / June 25, 2019

When she’s not getting up close and personal with Great White Sharks, you might find Sarah Graham watching Hannah B. find love on “The Bachelorette”, playing with her adorable pups, or enjoying Sofar Sounds shows on the reg.

Allie: What brought you to the DC area?

Sarah: I grew up in Manhattan, and then went to American University for undergrad. I loved DC so much that I decided to stay. I’m coming up on my 6 year DC anniversary in August.

Allie: What do you love about DC?

Sarah: As a millennial and recent graduate, there are so many things to do for free or cheaply, which is incredible. The circulator is now free which makes it easy to explore new neighborhoods. It seems like every week I’m finding cool new things to do, like a feminist woodworking workshop, Jazz in the Garden, or GatherDC events.

Allie: What is your dream day in DC? 

Sarah: Ideally my perfect summer DC day would be jam packed! If I had all the time in the world I would wake up early and take my dogs Porkey and Cuddles (@dogstagraham) along the Rock Creek pathway by my house. I would eat a true Israeli breakfast on my rooftop before going for a dip in the pool and a tanning session while reading a great book (currently Michelle Obama’s “Becoming”) or listen to a fun podcast (Michelle Buteau’s “Adulting” or “Pod Save America”).

Then, I would stop by Dupont Circle Farmers Market for a second breakfast of “Call Your Mother” bagels and Zeke’s iced coffee. Next, I would grab my friends and walk along the monuments making stops at The HirshornThe Renwick Gallery, and the East Building of the National Gallery of Art. After, we would picnic in Meridian Hill Park eating Little Sesame‘s hummus bowls and listening to the Meridian Hill drum circle. I would hit up Rewild DC for one of their awesome plant classes, catch a movie at Landmark’s Atlantic Plumbing Cinema, and grab happy hour on Takoda’s rooftop bar. I would run to Georgetown for their kayaking on the waterfront and hit up the Sculpture Garden for Jazz in the Garden!

At night, I would have Shabbat dinner with my lovely Gather friends, attend a DC United game, go to a Capitol Laughs stand up comedy show, attend a rooftop Sofar  concert, catch a Story District show, go dancing at Brixton, eat a jumbo slice and ideally be in bed by 1am. Impossible? Definitely (but amazing nonetheless).

Allie: What do you do to relax? 

Sarah: Swim. I’m a water person, so I’d sit in the pool all day if possible. I also love spending time with my dogs and unfortunately have to admit that I watch “The Bachelorette”. 

Allie: What are you most looking forward to this summer? 

Sarah: I’ve been going to a lot of Sofar Sounds shows, which I actually found out about through GatherDC. And I love going to outdoor movies in the city.

Allie: So, tell me about these dogs of yours…

Sarah: Their names are Porkie and Cuddles. Porkie is a terrier mix and he’s about 8 years old. He has a beautiful beard, very well-crafted. He has a Napoleon complex. He’s very sassy, smart, and loves attention. Cuddles is a shitzu and she’s black and really small. She has no teeth and is so sweet. They were a bonded pair that I fostered in college. They’ve been through a lot with me. 

Allie: What is something people would be surprised to hear about you? 

Sarah: My favorite sport is scuba diving and I love sharks. I once traveled solo to Australia and did a shark cage dive there. 

Allie: What interests you about sharks? 

Sarah: The interest came from scuba diving. Being underwater is where I feel very calm, and I get to focus on this world that I don’t usually get to see. Sharks have a scary reputation, but they’re beautiful. It’s cool to see them in their natural habitat.

Allie: What was the shark dive like?

Sarah: It’s a very heightened experience. There were Great White Sharks that came and tried to bite the cage. You can look into their eyes and take pictures, and see these beautiful creatures up close without hurting them. It was funny to see men who are big wrestlers get into the cage and panic, while me as a 5’4” Asian girl gets into the cage and thinks “this is so cool!”. 

Allie: Would you do it again? 

Sarah: Absolutely! 

Allie: Complete the sentence: when Jews of DC gather….

Sarah: There is a lot of laughing!    


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