Shark Week at Georgetown Cupcake

Shark Week is underway. The cable TV sharkfest isn't quite the same around here since Discovery Inc. fled Montgomery County for greener business pastures in Knoxville, Tennessee, taking thousands of jobs with them. Montgomery County was once the central locus of Shark Week worldwide, with grand promotional displays on the exterior of the former Discovery headquarters in downtown Silver Spring. Now we'll have to settle for Georgetown Cupcake's annual Shark Week limited-edition cupcake line at Bethesda Row. Post a photo of yours on social media with the hashtag #SharkWeek.

More Shark Week merchandise arrives in Bethesda

Shark Week hit CVS Pharmacy early in Montgomery County. Now Vineyard Vines has their own custom official Shark Week apparel and accessories on display. Items include shirts, hats, ties and bow ties, tote bags and phone grips.

The store's tag line for the limited-edition merchandise is, "You're gonna need a bigger closet." You're also gonna need a bigger wallet - the prices on the Shark Week merchandise will inspire sticker shock in all who are new to Vineyard Vines.

Shark Week begins July 28, 2019 on the Discovery Channel. Vineyard Vines is located at Westfield Montgomery Mall.

Shark Week bigger than ever after Montgomery County loses Discovery

Shark Week 2019 merchandise

arrives in Montgomery County

Discovery Communications is pulling out all the stops for Shark Week 2019, which is scheduled to begin on July 28. A special line of Shark Week merchandise has just arrived in CVS Pharmacy stores in Montgomery County. The annual shark celebration was once a point of pride for the County, when Discovery's corporate headquarters was located in Silver Spring. This year's event will be the first Shark Week since Discovery fled moribund, anti-business Montgomery County for business-friendly Knoxville, Tennessee, and it's a painful reminder of one of the Montgomery County cartel's most humiliating defeats.

Among the great items you will find at CVS are a realistic Shark Week Deep Sea Diver playset, with everything kids need to recreate their favorite Shark Week scenes. The Shark Week Isle of Jaws Collectible Shark Set includes 10 sharks.  There are big Shark Week stuffed sharks hiding in the coral reefs, er, shelves of the display, including a hammerhead.

Pack official Shark Week beach towels for Ocean City, and try to forget a great white surfaced off the shore of Maryland last week. Or play it safe, and watch Shark Week at home on the couch with official Shark Week throws and blankets, including a Shark Week Leopard Shark blanket with "glow in the dark eyes."

Speaking of glowing in the dark, the old Discovery headquarters has become a massive monument to Montgomery moribundity in downtown Silver Spring. The tower looms high above, with the missing Discovery corporate logo giving a ghoulish, haunted vibe. I've captured here some of the final traces of Discovery still left at the building before they are removed.

The Montgomery County Council and expensive economic development entity should have recognized Discovery needed attention when the famous Chompie Shark Week mascot no longer appeared on the facade of the building during Shark Week. Instead, Tennessee actively courted Discovery, ultimately providing the winning site with low taxes, and a campus with direct interstate and airport access in Knoxville. Horrifyingly, we later learned that over the same weeks that Tennessee was sealing the deal in negotiations with Discovery, the Montgomery County Council was taking up all of its time debating whether or not to ban circus animals.

Heckuva job, Brownie!

Shark Week cupcakes at Georgetown Cupcakes at Bethesda Row (Video + photos)

Shark Week is well underway, and you can expand the experience offscreen by heading to Georgetown Cupcake at Bethesda Row for official Shark Week cupcakes. Ocean blue frosting tops a chocolate cake, with an edible shark fin slicing through the sugary waves. A sprinkle of blue sugar crystals gives a sun-on-the-water effect.

They are pricey at $3.25 a piece. I rate them 4 stars out 5, deducting one star for the lack of a filling in the center of the cake, which I feel is a must at this price point. The overall buttery-sweet frosting and rich chocolate cake flavor still make this a worthwhile purchase if you are a major fan of Shark Week.

You can watch my full review on YouTube.