By Marie Kennedy, The Mountain Times
Mount Hood sweethearts Danny and Brigette Regan met in 2014 when Danny, a customer at the Still Creek Inn, crossed paths with Brigette, the owner. “It was Ladies’ Night,” Brigette chuckles. “I didn’t recognize him at first because he’d grown a beard since his last visit.” But as they talked, she remembered him.
“It was a cozy little place. I’d get a good sandwich, fries, and it was a short walk home,” Danny recalls. He became a regular, and before long they quietly started dating. “Some friends spotted us walking hand in hand on Still Creek Road,” says Brigette. “After that, our secret was out.”
Brigette, a well-known chef on the mountain with experience in some of its best kitchens, is the culinary talent in the relationship. Danny jokes, “I cook Italian sometimes,” earning a quick side-eye from Brigette before he admits, “I just pick up Sparky’s pizza.”
One of their favorite activities is fishing — whether surf fishing at the beach, drifting on rivers, or deep-sea fishing. They have a nice boat, and Danny loves catching big fish. Judging from some of the photos, they’ve caught quite a few very big fish. She calls him “the Captain,” and Brigette is the “First Mate.” When asked about their fishing success, Danny grins and says, “Rule number one is that the Captain is always right.” Brigette shakes her head and laughs.
In the summer of 2020, they had planned to rent a big house at the beach for their wedding, but due to COVID restrictions limiting gatherings to 25 people, they shifted plans. Instead, they married locally at longtime friend Carol Burk’s home, with a small group of guests, while some watched remotely on a Zoom call. “Carol was so gracious. We had a really good time,” Danny says with a smile. Unsurprisingly, Brigette catered her own wedding.
Their secret to a happy marriage? Danny answers quickly: “When you get into a disagreement — and we do sometimes — you have to get over it fast. It’s not worth staying mad.” He adds, “The thing about Brigette is she always has my back.” Brigette smiles, pauses for a moment, and then says, “I really appreciate his sharp wit – he doesn’t miss much. And sometimes we just have to agree to disagree. ”
Both work full-time, Danny as a mechanic for the Postal Service and Brigette as the Food Service Director at Cascadia in Sandy. When they retire in a few years, what’s the plan? “To stay right here,” Danny says, “and maybe travel a bit.” Where to? Lincoln City — for fishing, of course.