Frédéric Cassel, Pistache Griotte

I decided late to switch my next neighborhood run to Thursday, since I want to test doing a really long run (maybe on the scale of what started my foot problems last time, though I seem to be better, and wiser, now) Saturday. So I went down to try out the recently modified again Daikanyama-chou--Dougenzaka--Ebisunishi--Hachiyama-chou--Nanpeidai-chou--Sakuragaoka-chou--Sarugaku-chou--Shibuya--Uguisudani-chou loop. No surprise, but it needs further modification, again due to recent construction. I was fine until near the end, where I wasn't sure whether I need to run down a side alley before heading to the main road, so I scouted ahead before doubling back. Also, they've finished constructing a sort of park/pedestiran walk along Shibuya River, so I want to incorporate that into my course, though the last bit seems overly private/commercial to count, being more part of a food court than a park. Long run, almost 2 hours of actual running and I was feeling it in my muscles, which is rare, and yet still running strong at the end.

For a snack, I stopped at Hikarie, thinking that I would try again to get quiche from Quiche Yoroizuka, but they were gone, so no more Quiche Yoroizuka, as far as I know. I respect their effort, and there is no lack of other little tart places with people lining up, so it was not a ridiculous idea. Anyway, they were replaced by Stone Cold Creamery Sand, which are buttercream between cookies. I considered getting one, but they gave me a little sample of the mango (which I wouldn't have picked) and decided no, I don't need any more again. Instead, I visited Bagel & Bagel and was ready to get a chocolate bagel with white chocolate chunks, or something like that, but then I saw the brownies. I took the straight chocolate. I ate it in a park and it was fudgy and high energy, but it took frustratingly long to unwrap and was just ok, so I regret not getting something fresh.

Friday I again deviated from my initial plan and decided I'd do Frédéric Cassel instead, and got the new Pistache Griotte. I walked home, to save my feet for tomorrow, but I took an unnecessarily long path, swinging by Del'Immo and then through Hibiya Park and the long way back way down to Akazaka-Mitsuke. Fortunately, the rain did not return.

The cake was excellent, as mostly expected. I haven't appreciated pistachio and cherry cake much, or cherry cake in general, but this was a deep/dark cherry in some sense, with the cherry on top soaked in cherry liquor. There was also some crunch in a layer of the cake, as well as cherry gelatin, which was all fine. This is definitely on the sweet side, which suits me, but still high quality.