Sugar Apple Again + Arriving At Deer Run B&B – A 100% Vegan Owned & Operated B&B That Completely Stole My Heart!

NOTE: I had taken to attempting to write a little each day, about the experience of that day (didn’t last long…it’s a busy schedule to keep, folks). As I was going through draft posts I discovered this one about Sugar Apple and the day that Eric and I arrived at Deer Run B&B. So, I figured I’d go with it (a double dose of Sugar Apple?! Sure, what not?!).  PS – I’m NOT currently in Florida but in Texas. My posts are about eight weeks backlogged. To keep tabs on where I am now be sure to check out the Facebook page as I update it weekly.

Now back to writings that seem like they are from the now when in fact they are from the before (?). :)

Today was our last day in Key West. We hit up the last veg place on my list (which also happens to be the ONLY all-vegan restaurant in all of Key West), walked around Duval Street for a little bit, and then hit the road for what’s sure to be one of coolest experiences on the trip, to date – an all-vegan, ocean-front B&B in Big Pine Key. Eeee!!! But first, let’s eat!

Sugar Apple Juice Bar & Cafe – 100% vegan

917 Simonton Street
Key West, FL 33040

I ordered a marinated tempeh sandwich that came with a crazy delicious vegan tarter sauce, tomato and lettuce, and a big side salad. I also had an organic strawberry banana smoothie. It. Was. So. Good. Oh man. Super refreshing!! Eric had the Peaceful Tempeh sandwich – tempeh, avocado, and cranberry sauce on multi-grain bread, with soy mayo, mixed greens and plentiful salad. Everything was super delicious!

Eric thought it would be fun to put a WTFVF bumper sticker on the juice bar, alongside some other veg-positive stickers. Um. Heck, yeah! So, I asked and … they said yes! Woo!!

The Juice Bar is attached to a larger health food store, also called Sugar Apple. It does carry some cheese and a few (very few) meat products. But you can find all the good stuff like Daiya, Soy Delicious, and almost any vegan snack thing you can think of. Oh, oh AND they have natural deet-free bug spray. A MUST in all of Florida (from my experience). The bugs friggin’ love to bite me! Aah! Anyway, the health food store is perfect when you’re going to be in the Keys for a while and don’t want to choke down a bland salad from a random restaurant .. or don’t want to go out to eat every day, multiple times a day (Key West isn’t cheap!). You can get several days worth of groceries for the same cost of a meal for two, out at any of the restaurants. Good deal.

OMG. Okay. So! As I’m writing this we just checked into AN ALL VEGAN B&B!!!!!! Deer Run B&B, baby!!! Wooo!!!! I’m so friggin’ excited I can hardly contain myself. A vegan B&B? Are you kidding me??

Deer Run Bed & Breakfast – 100% vegan

1997 Long Beach Drive
Big Pine Key, FL 33043

UM, manatee mailbox post. need I say more?! ;)

Okay, so we arrived and have a cutie patootie little parking spot that shares a name with our room, called Utopia. With flamingo pink and key lime green walls (using zero VOC paints, of course!) this adorable, comfortable, and calming escape is made up of all the right stuff for a guaranetteed relaxing two-day getaway (Um. Even though I’m on my computer right now. writing this. Uh. Yeah. ;) Taken from Deer Run’s website:

“…tile flooring, white & bright wicker and wood furnishings. Most furnishings are reclaimed, and have been refurbished. Bed sheets and bath linens are 100% organic cotton. Utopia has an Energy Star rated flat screen TV, ductless a/c unit, and small size Energy Star rated refrigerator. Water conservation plumbing is in bathroom. Utopia has a screened in porch with an artisan crafted inlay tile table along with seating for 2. Entrance is directly from beach through a screen door into screened porch. Room has sliding glass doors into bedroom. Utopia has many pieces of original art.”

The B&B is gated off so when we arrived we called and were let in and greeted by Harry, co-owner with Jennifer. Harry is super friendly (and vegan, of course) and showed us around the grounds. They’ve got equipment for their guests to go snorkeling, kayaking, and swimming. There are also SO MANY wild Key Deer roaming around. Literally, walking around right next to the rooms. See!

The Key Deer are endangered, so they’re protected and you’re not allowed to feed them. But some of them do let you pet them. I mean, I wouldn’t know for sure but it seems like you could because they’re super friendly. ;)

This B&B is 100% vegan and is green in nearly every way imaginable. They’ve got composting and recycling bins in each room, the decor and furnishing are all up-cycled, organic non-animal derived products throughout. Oh! And when we arrived in our room we were greeted by two chocolate cupcakes made by Jennifer herself. AMAZING!!!!! Harry also stopped down later to drop off a bottle of their own vegan wine. AAAHH!! I can’t get enough. Between the free-roaming deer, the vegan-ness of this B&B, the friendly folks, the company, and the relaxation of it all. It just seriously couldn’t get any better. Everything about this experience is heavenly. For sure.

Welp! I’ve spent a few hours working on this post so I think I’m going to walk around a bit, pet some deer (err.. not pet some deer), maybe take an evening kayak ride, and retire early for a good night’s sleep. Aaaaah.

PS – Thanks to Eric for providing superior company AND for making the stay at Deer Run possible. xo

More picsies:

Bathroom art: