No matter how many individuals appear in the pages of each edition of Keys Weekly, there are always so many more of our community members who deserve to be recognized. In an effort to shine a spotlight on more of the incredible individuals who live and work in these islands, Keys Weekly is proud to present our Neighbor of the Week feature, dedicated to celebrating a community member with each issue.
Our neighbor of the week is Vanessa Mullis, who works at Irie Island Eats and the 7 Mile Grill. She has a taste for adventure and new experiences, and is not afraid to change things up. She said her happy place is outside in nature and especially on top of a mountain, and she loves Jesus, her husband Cam and her family more than anything.
VANESSA MULLIS
Irie Island Eats/7 Mile Grill
How long have you been in the Keys and what brought you here? I’ve been in the Keys since 2019. It started out as just a winter here with my husband. We did seasonal jobs and were traveling between here in the winter months and Alaska in the summer. We decided to ride it out here for Covid and have been here full-time since then.
What do you do for fun in the Keys and why do you love living here? Anything and everything on the water. Scuba diving is my first love, but I also love exploring the islands on the boat with my husband and pup, diving for lobster and camping when the bugs permit.
What is your favorite childhood memory? I lived for the summers as a kid in Washington state. We were always outside soaking up as much of the sunshine as we could while we had it. At the age of 5 my dad started taking me to Whatcom Falls Park, where we would jump off the cliffs into the freezing cold water. That was always our summer tradition.
What is a skill you are always learning or working on? This usually changes based on where I am. Since being in the Keys I would say scuba diving. I went from an advanced certification to an instructor and now I’m working on my spearfishing skills. In Alaska it was river rafting, and when I lived in Utah, snowboarding.
What is your favorite way to relax or unwind? If I could choose any way to relax it would be to go camping in the mountains, hang out around a fire and to just look up to the stars.
If you could have any conversation with anyone in the world, who would it be with and what would you talk about? Jesus. I have plenty of questions and who better to give it to you straight?
What is a quote or piece of advice that has always resonated with you? “Say yes to the things that scare you.” When I was in my 20s taking seasonal jobs, I made it a habit of saying yes to the opportunities that made me the most uncomfortable. It makes you grow as a person, and I met lifelong friends and my husband as well.
If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would that be? I don’t know about changing anything, but I do wish there was a way to fully appreciate childhood and all the time with family you get while you’re still growing up.
Do you prefer to communicate through text messages, phone calls or emails? Phone calls or video calls are always nice, but my favorite way is definitely handwritten notes and letters.
What animal do you feel represents your personality? I think ospreys have the right idea: to spend the winters somewhere warm and summers in the mountains.
What is one thing that people don’t know about you? When someone makes me laugh super hard it comes out something like a high-pitched wheeze. My best friend from elementary school called it “the walrus.”
Know someone who would be a good “Neighbor of the Week?” Email keysweeklyjen@gmail.com.
