Girl Crush - Sara Shookman
So I’m thinking many of you recognize my friend Sara Shookman. She is a fixture on the WKYC channel 3 news team and a local Cleveland celebrity. I had the pleasure of getting to know Sara a few years ago at the American Heart Association Go Red for Women event. We were part of a group that was asked to come and be representatives and wear red and we just totally hit it off.
As an adult woman, I think it is sometimes few and far between that we meet new people and want to become friends with them. I feel like in school that happens often, or when you have little kids who are in a playgroup, but as an adult woman, at least for me, it does not happen very often. When I met Sara, there was just this wonderful click. She asked for us to go out to lunch to get to know each other better and we’ve been fast friends ever since. I know you’re gonna love hearing all about her fab finds and you will absolutely be able to see why she’s one of my girl crushes.
Meet Sara Shookman
Sara Shookman is an Emmy and Murrow award-winning television journalist, glad to be working here at home in Northeast Ohio. Sara anchors 3 News' Front Row 7 p.m. newscast with Jim Donovan. She joined the 3News team in 2012.
She’s covered big events here locally, and even internationally, including the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Sara seeks out stories that raise the voices of women, like those featured in her "Boss Ladies of CLE" series.
Sara often gets attention for her work in the community. She's a vocal advocate for cancer research, raising thousands of dollars for the cause each year through VeloSano and Pelotonia.
When she's not at work, Sara loves adventures with her husband and young daughter. They love to travel and try new restaurants in the CLE. Mostly, they try to get outside in any Cleveland weather! She enjoys standup paddle boarding, gardening and cycling in the summer, and cross-country skiing in the winter.
Sara’s Favorite Things
1. Rent the Runway
I’ll start with style, since this is the Wardrobe Consultant we’re talking with! In my line of work, I need variety. So Hallie knows, I love to rent! I am a longtime subscriber of Rent the Runway’s Unlimited plans. Hallie has used it to coordinate outfits incorporating rental items with those inside my closet. I love the range of designers I can choose from, seeing the items on real people, the ease of shipping and bonus – they even have maternity wear which I need again!
2. Pono by Joan Goodman
Like we’ve all learned this year with zoom, necklines are important! My absolute favorite accessories are my statement necklaces from Pono by Joan Goodman. They are the best frosting – for a white t-shirt or a LBD. I first found Pono featured on The Good Wife, the CBS Julia Margulies show I loved for its fashion. Now I’m a collector! I've even visited Joan at her studio in New York. Her work is featured in Cleveland at CMA’s incredible gift shop. Outside of COVID, she typically hosts a couple trunk shows there each year.
3. Podcasts
Part of my job is following the news, but with my work day and a 20-month old at home, I don’t get to read books or watch as much news as I would like. That’s where podcasts come in. There are a few I always catch during my commute downtown: Cheddar’s Need2Know daily, Pivot from NY Mag, cleveland.com’s This Week in the CLE, and the A to Z podcast for my Cleveland sports fix. I’m also loving Good Inside with Dr. Becky and Lovevery’s My New Life for parenting advice.
4. Traveling
As I’m now pregnant with my second pandemic baby (my daughter, Isla, was born in May 2020), I haven’t felt safe traveling much during COVID. I miss it so much. I love exploring other countries and cultures. My husband Angelo and I had been on track with at least one big annual trip abroad until then. He calls me “Sara Steves” because the Rick Steves and other guidebook planning stages in advance are almost as fun to me as experiencing it. Weird, I know! For now, we’re working on our bucket list in the U.S. This summer we drove the Oregon coast, and loved it.
5. Biking in Cleveland
That said, I love Cleveland and all its seasons. I am happiest outside. I grew up in Akron, but actually appreciate living in the snow belt now. I like to cross country ski in the winter, hike in the fall and spring, and be near water in the summer. I also do a lot of biking, including training rides for VeloSano and Pelotonia each summer. Cleveland and its surrounding counties have some of the most beautiful parks. A favorite discovery off the bike path this summer was Claridon Woodlands.
