Denver, CO
I left Denver for island life in Honduras. My lifestyle has completely changed, but I love it here.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sarah Johnson Harmacek, the 33-year-old beverage director at Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort and Spa in Honduras. It’s been edited for length and clarity.
I’m the beverage director at Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort and Spa in Roatán, Bay Islands, Honduras. I moved here from Denver in 2023.
I worked in hospitality in downtown Denver for over 10 years. Restaurant work provided the flexibility in my schedule that I needed to work through my two degrees. I’m also a certified sommelier.
After four years in various front-of-house restaurant positions, I applied at the then-Kimpton Hotel Born. I worked there for five years, with three as the beverage manager for the entire hotel property.
Denver is my hometown
I grew up in a suburb just west of the city and moved to the downtown area when I was 19. Denver has professional sports, a world-class performing arts center, a dynamic restaurant scene, and diverse cultural festivals, but the culture is still extremely connected to the natural wonders of the state. People who live in Colorado love being outdoors.
However, the secret is out. In the last 10 years, the influx of people moving to Denver has impacted traffic, the cost of living, and the sustainability of urban growth.
In November 2022, I attended one of Kimpton’s internal conferences
One night, during a social event, I sat with one of our corporate directors of restaurant openings. As I was telling him about my travel background, my fluency in Spanish, and my willingness to move, he just asked me out of nowhere, “Would you be willing to go to Roatán?” Without hesitation, I said, “Yes!”
One month later, we discussed the details of the property and the job, which offered a comparable salary to my Denver position. I would receive a relocation package, onboarding support, and work visa assistance. In February 2023, I made plans to pack up and move.
I was excited but also nervous about moving across the world, sight unseen, by myself. I was sad to be moving away from my hometown and my friends, family, and professional community. Still, I was happy and proud for taking a leap of faith.
I got rid of everything in my small apartment
What I could, I sold, gave away, or donated, and I stored the rest at my best friend’s dad’s house. I brought two suitcases and a backpack with me here.
Once I arrived, I stayed on the property for a few months, which gave me a nice landing pad and time to figure out permanent housing and transportation. The property market is geared toward vacation homes and short-term rentals, but with the help of my local coworkers and diligent prowling of Facebook groups and ads, I found something decent.
Rent in Roatán is cheaper than in Denver, but it varies. I live in a two-bedroom apartment on a quiet hill above one of the main towns, 15 minutes from work, with plenty of space for friends and family to come visit. My rent is $1,200 a month, and cable, hot water, a parking space, and a washer/dryer are included. I also bought a car.
In Roatán, life is completely different
Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort and Spa
In Denver, I would pack my days with a morning trail run, errands, a matinée at the theater, and dinner with a friend at a new restaurant. Driving 100 miles daily from one small adventure to the next wouldn’t be uncommon.
Here, the island itself is only 35 miles long. There’s no movie theater, bowling alley, or mall, but only a few discotecas and a handful of decent restaurants. My leisure time has become more slowly paced and centers on scuba diving, reading a book by the pool, or a sunset cruise on the water.
I had never been comfortable in the ocean and didn’t like seafood much before moving. I’ve overcome my fear of the water and its creatures and became someone who now compulsively jumps off boats.
When I first arrived, I struggled with loneliness and boredom
I spent many days and nights feeling alone, questioning what I was doing with my life and why I was putting myself through this. However, I have no problems sitting at a bar alone watching sports or chatting with my neighbor. Although it took longer, I’ve made some good friends outside work.
What I love most about Roatán is the people. Their innate warmth and hospitality, love for visitors and each other, and a genuine sense of community and mutual care make me want to never leave.
I still get island fever, but making regular trips to get off the island has helped. La Ceiba is just a quick flight or ferry across the channel. Miami is also an easy direct flight away and fills my city needs with a little nightlife and shopping. I’ve also visited San Pedro Sula on Honduras’ mainland for work and events, and the culinary scene there is bustling.
Moving abroad is hard
There have been many cultural differences to navigate: communication styles differ, time is perceived much more relatively, and language and how people relate to one another are more personal. But for me, the most shocking change was environmental: going from high altitude to being at sea level, from snow to beach.
The bug bites were terrible initially, but my body has adjusted, and they don’t bother me as much anymore. Regulating my body temperature was hard at first, too, but over time, I got used to sweating and drinking more water. After a while, you get used to sand being everywhere.
The girl who spent every Sunday at the theater is now eating fried chicken on the side of the road in a faraway village, listening to punta music, and watching the sun dip far away into the horizon. My ability to adapt, grow, and change continues to surprise me.
My contract doesn’t have a set timeframe, so I’ll stay as long as there are opportunities for me to grow in my career and have a good work-life balance so I can enjoy the island life.
Want to share your relocation story? Email Lauryn Haas @lhaas@businessinsider.com
Paperboy
Denver is a city that loves to brunch and now, one of Austin’s top daytime spots has opened a location in the West Highland neighborhood. Paperboy’s third outpost is its first outside of its home state of Texas. The concept, which founder Rynan Harms started in a food trailer, has taken over the former home of Rooted Craft American Kitchen (and FNG before that).
“We love this neighborhood because it’s still close to downtown but has its own unique and relaxed vibe,” says Robert Brown, Harms’ longtime business partner, who has lived in Denver for nearly a decade. “People know their neighbors, they show up to community events, they’re invested in this place in a way that feels increasingly rare. That sense of connection is something Paperboy has always tried to foster, and we’re honored to be a part of it here in Denver.”
The menu includes staples such as the chicken and biscuit drizzled with spicy honey; Texas Hash with roasted pork, sweet potato, onion, kale, poached egg and pecan mole; and the Paperboy Pancake, described as “a cake-forward cornmeal pancake that still manages to be impossibly fluffy.”
Also now open is FiNO, the restaurant inside the revamped All Inn Hotel on East Colfax. We enjoyed our first meal there; if you’re planning to visit, don’t miss the signature martini, the Medi Nachos and the caper-studded charred cabbage.
On East Sixth Avenue, the powerhouse duo behind the city’s best new barbecue restaurant, Riot BBQ, has debuted Chicken Riot in the former Truffle Cheese Shop space. Meanwhile, the former Whiskey Biscuit in Englewood is now the Barn, a neighborhood eatery from a pair of longtime hospitality pros, including former Brider chef Chase Devitt.
Taqueria Los Gallitos has expanded once again, adding an eighth location in the former Taco John’s near the shuttered Denver Merchandise Mart.
And just in time for the Rockies home opener on Friday, April 3, McGregor Square has opened its revamped food hall. The former Milepost Zero moniker is out. Now, the space is dubbed McGregor Square Food & Drink and includes six food stalls from local eateries: Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta, C Burger, G-Que BBQ, High Point Creamery, TaCo! and Tora Ramen.
There’s just one closure to report this week: Ballyhoo Table & Stage, which actually shuttered last month after an eviction notice was posted.
In other openings and closings news:
Here’s the complete list of restaurants and bars that opened and closed this week*:
Openings
The Barn South Broadway, 3299 South Broadway, Englewood
Chicken Riot, 2906 East Sixth Avenue
FiNO, 3015 East Colfax Avenue
McGregor Square Food & Drink, 1601 19th Street
Paperboy, 3940 West 32nd Avenue
Taqueria Los Gallitos, 5810 Logan Street
Closures
Ballyhoo Table & Stage, 3300 Tejon Street
*Or earlier and not previously reported.
Know of something we missed? Email cafe@westword.com.
Denver, Colo. (03/27/2026) – In front of another expected record-breaking crowd, the Washington Spirit is set to take on Denver Summit FC in the side’s inaugural home match at Empower Field at Mile High. With over 60,000 tickets already distributed, the match is poised to break the NWSL attendance record of 40,091 set last summer when the Spirit visited Bay FC at San Francisco’s Oracle Park. Kicking off at 2 p.m. EDT, the match will broadcast nationally on CBS.
The Spirit
Washington comes into this weekend’s fixture off a difficult 1-1 home draw with Utah Royals FC earlier this week. After scoring in the 18th minute, the Spirit nearly earned its first victory of 2026 but conceded an equalizer late and had to settle for a single point on the table. Washington’s goal was scored by midfielder Rebeca Bernal, the Mexican star’s first since transferring to the NWSL last year.
Saturday afternoon’s match will mark the first-ever meeting between the Spirit, one of the NWSL’s original clubs, and 2026 expansion side Denver Summit FC. Denver will be the 17th different opponent for Washington across its regular season history: the Spirit has played against 13 active clubs (all except expansion sides Denver and Boston) as well as defunct clubs the Boston Breakers, FC Kansas City and the Western New York Flash.
The Spirit has had success against expansion sides as of late, tallying 11 wins in 15 matches against NWSL clubs in their first season of competition since the start of the 2021 campaign. In 2024, the Spirit went a perfect 5-0-0 against Bay FC and Utah Royals FC, outscoring the teams 10-3 with a playoff win to boot. In 2022, Washington earned a 1-3-0 record against Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC and, in 2021, the eventual NWSL champions went an impressive 5-1-0 against Kansas City and Racing Louisville FC.
This weekend’s matchup at Empower Field at Mile High, home of the NFL’s Denver Broncos, is set to shatter the NWSL’s single match attendance record with over 60,000 tickets already distributed. The Spirit has also been the visiting team for two of the league’s previous three record-setting attendances: 34,130 fans at Seattle’s Lumen Field when the Spirit took on the Reign and 40,091 in the stands at San Francisco’s historic Oracle Park to watch Washington play Bay FC.
Washington is in good standing in several attacking categories through three matches despite two draws and a loss. The Spirit remains first in the league in rate of possession at nearly 62% and top three in both shots and shots on target with 49 and 17, respectively. With just three goals through three matches, look for the Spirit attack to continue getting attempts on frame this weekend.
Following Saturday’s match, the Spirit will hit the road again next weekend for an away match against Bay FC in San Jose on Sunday, April 5. Washington’s next home match will be on Friday, April 24 at 8 p.m. EDT when the side hosts the defending Shield winner Kansas City Current at Audi Field. Information on tickets can be found HERE.
The Opponent
Denver Summit FC opened its inaugural season with three straight away matches, collecting a win, a loss and a draw to carry four points into its home opener this weekend. Summit FC dropped its first match to Bay FC 1-2 before drawing Orlando 1-1 and beating Gotham 2-0.
Summit FC is led in scoring by star German forward Melissa Kössler who has three goals in three matches, scoring once in each contest. With a goal tomorrow, the forward would join Alex Morgan as just the second player in league history to score in each of her first four matches with a club. Look for the Spirit defending third to place an emphasis on limiting chances to Kössler on Saturday afternoon.
Denver has only allowed one goal across its last 240 minutes of action after giving up two in the first 30 minutes of the side’s opener. The strong recent form of Summit FC’s defending third against the Spirit attacking third’s ability to generate chance after chance will be a point to watch this weekend.
Three former Spirit players are currently on the Summit FC roster as midfielders Meg Boade and Jordan Baggett and defender Camryn Biegalski signed with the side ahead of this season. Baggett spent four years with the Spirit after being drafted by the side in 2019 while Biegalski signed with Washington in 2021 and played three seasons, both winning the 2021 NWSL Championship with the team. Boade spent the first half of the 2025 season in DC as a short-term injury replacement, even scoring a goal for the Spirit.
Following tomorrow’s match, Denver will travel to Seattle to face Reign FC on Saturday, April 4.
All-Time Series History
This weekend’s match will be the first-ever meeting between the Spirit and Denver Summit FC.
About The Washington Spirit
The Washington Spirit is the premier professional women’s soccer team based in Washington, D.C. and plays at Audi Field in Buzzard Point. The Spirit was founded on November 21, 2012 and is an inaugural member of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) the fastest growing sports league in the US. The club is home to some of the best players in the world who have won championships for both club and country. For more information about the Spirit, visit WashingtonSpirit.com and follow the club on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets are tipping off their second-to-last meeting of the 2025-26 season on Friday in the Mile High, where for the Jazz in particular, they’ll be dealing with several injuries headed into the matchup that’ll make them shorthanded once again.
Here’s what to expect on the injury front for both the Jazz and Nuggets on Friday night:
Utah Jazz Injury Report
OUT – Isaiah Collier (hamstring)
OUT – Keyonte George (hamstring)
OUT – Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee)
OUT – Walker Kessler (shoulder)
OUT – Lauri Markkanen (hip)
OUT – Jusuf Nurkic (nose)
PROBABLE – Kyle Filipowski (illness)
OUT – Blake Hinson (two-way)
It’s a lot of the same for the Jazz when looking back at some of their recent injury reports, but there’s also some good news to note as well.
Second-year big man Kyle Filipowski, specifically, is trending up to play in Denver after dealing with an illness against the Washington Wizards; an issue that kept him sidelined for one game and left the Jazz’s frontcourt notably shorthanded for what would be a double-digit loss.
During his post-All-Star stretch, Filipowski has been averaging 13.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, along with 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks through 11 games.
He’s slotted in primarily as the Jazz’s starting center since both Walker Kessler and Jusuf Nurkic have been out with season-ending injuries, and has shown some nice flashes throughout.
However, outside of getting Filipowski back in the mix, the Jazz will still be without second-year guard Isaiah Collier, who continues to deal with hamstring soreness, and will also continue to be down Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen with their extended absences.
It remains to be seen if any of the latter two will be able to return at some point this season, but now with less than 10 games to go on the calendar before the offseason officially hits, the chances of either Markkanen or George coming back keep getting slimmer and slimmer.
For the extent either remains out, expect to see a good chunk of Ace Bailey being the primary scoring option as he has through his recent slate of games, along with an expanded role for their two-way and 10-day players down the bench who have gotten more minutes in recent weeks.
Denver Nuggets Injury Report
OUT – David Roddy (two-way)
OUT – KJ Simpson (two-way)
As for the Nuggets, their injury slate remains clean. The only names out will be a pair of their two way signings in David Roddy and KJ Simpsons, while the rest of their roster is slated to be active.
It’s a major change from what the Nuggets have been used to all season when factoring in their several injuries to key players lasting multiple weeks.
Nikola Jokic, Cameron Johnson, Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon, and Peyton Watson have all missed significant time at one point or another this season, but against Utah, they’ll have all systems go as they roll into the game on a three-game win streak.
Tip-off between the Jazz and Nuggets lands at 7 p.m. MT in Ball Arena.
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