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Mike Deshaies

@mtdeshai

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Co-Lead @novemberprojectbuffalo
Retro Video Game Enthusiast 🕹️
Running person who runs 🏃

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Osaka! 🇯🇵

What a fun side trip this was. We decided to go to Osaka for the day from Kyoto to go to the aquarium and Dotonbori district.

These dolphins were so active and fun to watch. They were playing tag with each other.

The main tank was absolutely massive and was home to whale sharks, stingrays, and other sharks. Very peaceful to watch.

Vibrant and relaxing!

One of the whale sharks had a whole crew of fish hanging out with him.

The aquarium is on the harbor and has an absolutely beautiful view of the water! It was such a nice day.

Then we headed down to the Dotonbori district. It is a super busy area full of shops, food stalls, restaurants, karaoke bars, and more. Osaka is also known for Takoyaki - which is octopus cooked in batter, mayo, onion, and ginger.

Heading to the food stalls!

They had giant animatronics on multiple restaurants, and quite a few of them were crabs.

There are many Don Quijote stores throughout Japan but this one is special. It has a Ferris wheel!! Of course we had to go.

Amazing view from the top!

We headed back down and got some things to eat and went shopping before the sun started to set.

The Glico running man is an iconic sight in Osaka. And of course, Mike is the ultimate running man, so we had to get a photo of them together!

We lined up for a boat tour that takes you down the main canal of Osaka Dotonbori. As the sun was setting all the lights started to turn on and it was so cool to see!

Lots of boats on the canal!

And all the lit up billboards.

Waving to everyone around us and singing! It's fun to be a tourist 🤣

The Glico running man all lit up! This is the main photo op of this area so it was really cool to see in person.

The canal all lit up! Osaka is definitely a city full of nightlife and it was so much fun to visit. I'd love to spend more time here exploring other parts as well as head to Kobe, which isn't too far away.

We finished our night with a delicious ice cream before taking the train back to Kyoto! taken in Osaka, Japan by @mtdeshai

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3 days ago

Kyoto part 1! 🇯🇵

We took the bullet train to Kyoto from Hakone, which took about 2.5 hours. As you can see - they move FAST! 🚄

When we got to Kyoto, we made our own rings out of vintage Japanese coins at @enne.ring! 🪙 This was such a cool souvenir to make.

And then of course we found our BFF Mario and went shopping.

The following day we went to the Arashiyama area where there are temples and shrines, small shops, cafes, and the bamboo forest.

We started at the Hogon-in Temple. It was so peaceful and beautiful even in the rain!

I loved these statues, they were fascinating to look at.

Then we went over to the bamboo forest. We visited here last year but it was 100 degrees outside, so even with the rain this was a little more pleasant to explore!

What a fun adventure.

Next up was Tenryu-ji, another beautiful temple we visited last year but it was great to see again!

Beautiful landscape and pond in the middle of the gardens.

Bright pops of color in the green trees and grass!

Later that night, we went to @teamlabkyoto. This was another incredible experience! This is an interactive art experience with different themed rooms you discover.

Perfect for photos.

Each room was so different and fun to explore!

One of our favorite rooms, it was filled with these wobbly sculptures you could push around and walk through

Strike a pose 📸

These were squishy and you walked across them to get to the other side of the room. It was harder than it looks!

Another lovely photo op!

This was the "vortex" room. Very stunning to see in person!

And to finish off TeamLabs... There was the foam room! This was really fun to walk around in, and it smelled really nice. The whole experience was so immersive and we spent a few hours here! taken in Kyoto, Japan by @mtdeshai

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5 days ago

Hakone! 🇯🇵

After spending a few days in Tokyo, we did an overnight stay in the small area of Hakone. This was my favorite part of our trip!

We arrived in the morning on the "Romance Car" train which took about an hour and a half from Tokyo. Hakone is known for its views of Mount Fuji, which is what I was hoping to see... but that day was particularly misty and hazy. I thought I'd be more bummed about this but honestly the town was SO cool and the misty mountains were beautiful.

After getting breakfast we took another train to the top of the mountain to go to the Hakone Open Air Museum.

@thehakoneopenairmuseum was absolutely beautiful! There were so many sculptures and fun interactive art pieces to see in a really beautiful setting.

This tower is all stained glass and you climb a spiral staircase to the top.

It's absolutely stunning inside!

Our view from the top! Again, Mount Fuji is probably around here somewhere but we weren't allowed to see it haha. But honestly it felt like we were in the clouds and it was SO cool.

Who doesn't love a fun sculpture?

After the Open Air Museum, we made our way by cable car even further up the mountain to Owakudani. I felt like I was going into Jurassic Park up here!

This area is an active volcano and smells of sulfur, which you kind of get used to after awhile.

It was so cool to be so high up with the mist, steam, and clouds!

Such a cool view of the hot springs and steam!

One of the most popular things to do in this area is get the Hakone Black Egg! The shells are boiled in the volcanic hot springs and turn black from the sulfur. Once you peel the shell, it's just a normal looking hard boiled egg. For every egg you eat, it's supposed to add one year onto your life. We each ate 2 eggs so I guess we'll see where that gets us 🤣

After our snack we took the cable car down the mountain to Lake Ashi! You then take these amazing pirate ships across the lake to get back to the bus stop and head back to town.

It was windy and a bit chilly but so fun to be on the front of the boat!

Gloomy and moody - I absolutely loved it here.

Lake Ashi also has an iconic torii gate on the edge of the water. It was beautiful to see in taken in Hakone, Japan by @mtdeshai

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9 days ago

Tokyo Part 1 🇯🇵

I'll be posting a bunch over the next few days from our recent trip! We truly had a blast and I'm so glad we were able to make it back to Japan!

Our first night was pretty low-key since we were exhausted from the flight. We got the best ramen of our trip (and honestly probably the best ramen I've ever had) at Hijiri-ya Nishi-Shinjuku and the owner gave us an origami crane to protect us in our travels around Japan!

We stayed right near the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, which has a free observation area to see 360 views of Tokyo! We went up there the following day.

In the morning we walked around the park across from our hotel, which had a small shrine. It's so peaceful to visit a shrine in the middle of a huge city!

Then we went up the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building to see some beautiful views of the city. It was a gorgeous day!

The building with 3 sections is the Park Hyatt Hotel, which was featured in the movie Lost in Translation.

More beautiful views! We could see for miles.

Then we headed over to the Shibuya area for shopping - our favorite activity in Japan! The Nintendo Store, Pokemon Center, Don Quijote, and so many other shops!

I also got prescription glasses from a store called Jins, which was a super easy process and the glasses only took an hour to be made. I thought it was the perfect useful souvenir!

Walking around the Shibuya area as the sun was setting. I will never get tired of seeing the neon lights in the city, it's such a vibe.

We also went to Shibuya Crossing, which is a fun and chaotic area. Everyone crosses the streets from all different directions at a large intersection at the same time. Very iconic area of Tokyo.

Then we headed over to a really cool speakeasy bar called @lostbarjapan. Highly recommend for delicious drinks and a fun atmosphere in Shibuya! I got the Tokyo Mule, which was amazing.

Afterwards we went to a sushi go-round restaurant where you order from an iPad and it is delivered to you on a conveyor belt! We went to this restaurant last year and it was just as good as last time.

The following day we went to Ueno Park which has a zoo and multiple museums, a pond, plus shrines taken in Tokyo, Japan by @mtdeshai

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9 days ago

This is a post I never wanted to make and the timing really couldn't be worse.

Silly was the most special cat and I loved her immensely. I was lucky to meet her when she was only three days old and immediately I knew "that's my kitten and I'm naming her Silly." That was in 2010.

Flash forward to 2026 - she had been with @mtdeshai and I all throughout college, at my parents house, in every apartment we lived in, our first house, and I was so excited for her to join us in our new home after our trip to Japan. But unfortunately, she would never make it to the new house with us.

Yesterday, we had to say goodbye to Silly. I am completely heartbroken and still in shock she is gone. She was my best friend for over 16 years and I have countless memories with her. She grew up alongside me and I feel so lucky to have had that time with her, but it wasn't enough.

Anyone who met Silly knew she was a sassy little diva with a huge personality and that I was her favorite person. She was always with me and even though she wasn't a lap cat, she loved snuggling on my head at night and getting chin scratches anytime of the day. And no matter where she was in the house, if she heard you in the kitchen, she'd be there in seconds demanding some canned food.

I was really looking forward to seeing her explore our new space and live out her remaining years in a nice peaceful home. It's very hard to grasp that I won't get that opportunity. I don't know exactly how to move on from this because it feels like a piece of me is now gone. I will miss her forever.

I love you, Silly Girl. 🐾❤️🌈 by @mtdeshai

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25 days ago

We finally made it! 🎉🥹

After a long summer of anticipation, we closed on our new home and got our keys today! We're proud to be the newest citizens of North Tonawanda! 🏡 I can't wait to make this house a home with @mtdeshai and our two kitties.

A HUGE thank you to my parents, we couldn't have made this journey without your love and support! ❤️ We appreciate it more than words can say.

@lizroberts.buffalorealtor thank you for your guidance and assistance throughout this process! It was quite a learning experience for us but I'm so glad we had you there to help us through it.

And of course thank you to all of our friends and family who offered advice, support, or just listened to our woes the last few months 😅 We are eternally grateful! taken in North Tonawanda, New York by @mtdeshai

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a month ago

Our baby Silly is 16 today! 🥳 💖 😻

Time has really flown. I still remember seeing you when you were 3 days old and were just a little ball of fuzz, and now you're a little old lady! You've been all over with us, from Northern NY to Buffalo in multiple homes and have run them all! Even though you're full of sass, you're our goofy little kitty and I'm so glad you're ours.

I love you so much Silly girl! 😘 by @mtdeshai

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5 months ago

This Frunday we’re heading south of the twirly bridge. It might not sound like a big deal, but somehow we haven’t gone south of the bridge at all this year.

As usual, we meet at 6:20 a.m. on the north side of the twirly bridge at the intersection of Nottingham and Lincoln Parkway. We start running at 6:25 a.m.

With daylight saving time, the mornings will be dark again for a little while. Please bring and wear your reflective gear, even if you’re the leader who keeps forgetting to bring it. 😅

@NovemberProject
#NovemberProject
#LetsGoBuffalo
#Frunday
#NovemberProjectBuffalo
#GladYoureHere by @mtdeshai

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7 months ago

Happy Valentine's Day 💘 taken in Hatchets & Hops by @mtdeshai

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8 months ago

We hope you're surviving the holiday season better than we're surviving life with our kitten!

Merry Christmas! 🎄

With love from,
Leanne, Mike, Silly, & Boo by @mtdeshai

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10 months ago

Then & Now 💜

Happy 9 Years, @mtdeshai! I can't believe how fast it has flown by and I can't wait to see what else life has in store for us.

I love you just the way you are 💜 by @mtdeshai

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a year ago

Big Congratz to the 7,000 full- and half-marathon runners this morning at the @buffalomarathon , and big thanks to the 30 people who joined NP Buffalo on dishing out water and Gatorade at the Mile 4 Station! It was a PARTY on Chapin Parkway to say the least! 🎉

#Novemberproject
#buffalomarathon taken in Buffalo, New York by @mtdeshai

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a year ago