May Food News: Pop-Ups, Openings and Mother's Day Brunches
Pasta | Bar Los Angeles x i Clivi Collaboration Wine Dinner
Pasta | Bar Los Angeles will be hosting an exclusive, one-night-only dinner on Thursday, May 22 in collaboration with i Clivi — with a special appearance by Mario Zanusso, owner and winemaker of the celebrated Friulian Italian winery.For $345 per person, the evening includes a 9-course tasting menu paired with i Clivi's elegant, terroir-driven wines from the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Northeastern Italy. Known for its purity, balance and mineral-driven complexity, the wines will be thoughtfully matched with dishes from the Pasta | Bar team.Throughout the evening, Zanusso will share insights into his winemaking philosophy and the traditions that shape i Clivi, offering guests a rare opportunity to engage directly with the producer. Seatings are available from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and reservations are currently bookable here. A curated selection of wines will be available for purchase following the dinner.
Hanky Panky Bar Pop Up
Fairmont Century Plaza is bringing Mexico City's acclaimed speakeasy Hanky Panky — ranked among North America's 50 Best Bars — to Century City for a special pop-up event happening only two nights at The Bar Century Plaza on Thursday, May 8 from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. and Friday, May 9 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.Hanky Panky's acclaimed bar manager, Gina Barbachano, is leading the two-night experience. Barbachano is a 2023 Spirited Awards Top 4 nominee for International Bartender of the Year. Under her direction, guests will be treated to four craft cocktails — each reflecting a unique global destination — served at Fairmont Century Plaza. Cocktails include the Noongar, Imperio, True North and Apapacho (inspired by Australia, Portugal, Canada and Mexico).
Mother Wolf L.A. x San Felice Wine Dinner
Mother Wolf — acclaimed chef Evan Funke's ode to Cucina Romana — is hosting a special wine tasting dinner in the heart of Hollywood on Wednesday, May 21 at 7 p.m. The dinner will be presented by Leonardo Bellaccini, winemaker of the storied San Felice Vineyard in Tuscany. Guests will enjoy a four-course, chef curated menu paired with five exceptional wines from San Felice's award-winning portfolio, presented by Bellaccini himself. Tickets are $187.50 per person (plus tax), and seating is limited.
Dessert favorite SusieCakes and Summer Water are launching Rosé Season with their limited time only Rosé Cupcake from May 6 to May 18. This offer is available at SusieCakes locations nationwide. This delicious collaboration pairs flavors of fresh strawberries along with Summer Water's Rosé for a delicious refreshing summer treat.
An exclusive afternoon tea will be held from May 9 to 11 at the Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel. This event is in collaboration with Tealeaves' x Pantone Color of the Year Collection. Select teas will be featured at this multi-course event. The menu is inspired by the 2025 Pantone Color of the Year, Mocha Mousse.
California Surf Club is a brand new members-only lifestyle club and public restaurant by founders Allen Sanford and Rob Lissner that opens its doors today (May 8) in Redondo Beach. The latest project from BeachLife co-founders and South Bay locals Allen Sanford and Rob Lissner — the team behind BeachLife Festival, BeachLife Ranch, BeachLife Grotto Restaurant and the BeachLife General Store — California Surf Club already has 450 founding members. The development is a 22,000-square-foot adaptive reuse and reimagination of two iconic harborfront buildings, and includes a members-only lifestyle club and a public restaurant on the Redondo Beach waterfront. For membership details, visit casurfclub.com or contact memberships@casurfclub.com.
Pasjoli, chef Dave Beran's Michelin-starred French bistro in Santa Monica, is now offering tiny cocktails to welcome in summer. These petite drinks offer customers the opportunity to taste test delicious cocktails without committing to a whole beverage. The menu of MAR-TINYs & PETIT DAIQUIRIS includes smaller-sized cocktails like the PJ (magellan gin, dolin vermouth blanc and angostura orange bitters, for $14); and the Jasmine (rhum barbancourt 15-year, jasmine green tea, lime and orange blossom bitters, for $16).
Modern American steakhouse, Bourbon Steak Los Angeles, is inviting guests to enjoy a one-of-a-kind series of culinary events all month long. Head Chef Michael Mina will host these delicious events in The Americana at Brand. A decadent three-course Mother's Day Brunch will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 11. Tickets are $125 each. The menu is set to feature a Black Truffle Ceaser, Za'atar Spice Prime Rib, Pastrami Short Rib Benedict and more. Reservations can be made via Sevenrooms. On May 16, Mina presents a multi-course menu, The Mina Experience: A Bourbon Steak Tasting Menu, for $175 each. Signed copies of his cookbook 'My Egypt' will be offered, along with complimentary access to an after-party at the Bourbon Lounge. Reserve a seat for this special one-night experience via Sevenrooms.
The 20th anniversary of Pride & Prejudice is bringing the film back to theaters this month. On May 22, Focus Features is hosting a Pride and Prejudice Ball at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena. Tickets can be purchased here.The historic Langham ballroom will be filled with lively music and entertainers, along with immersive activations for guests to be transported back in time. Cocktails and light food will also be served.
Hollywood's Laya — the second restaurant from Top Chef Middle East winner Charbel Hayek, following his WeHo hit Ladyhawk — is launching a new brunch service starting May 18. Enjoy the beautiful garden atmosphere of Laya along with decadent brunch flavors and cocktails. The brunch menu will be offered Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. More information can be found on layarestaurant.com.
Ippudo V is officially opening in West Hollywood May 11 in what marks the vegan concept's first West Coast venture. The new Ippudo V location will serve vegan dishes, vegan sushi and plant-based ramen. The brand focuses on fermentation, smoking and other Japanese techniques to incorporate vegan flavors with Japanese tradition. Ippudo also just opened a location in Culver City.
Shake Shack is adding a BBQ menu to jump into summer. New dishes include Smoky Classic BBQ Burger or sweet-and-tangy Carolina BBQ Burger with Fried Pickles — and they're a crave-worthy twist on summer favorites, available exclusively via the Shake Shack app and in-shack all summer long. Add on favorite shakes and lemonade.
Saltie Girl is teaming up with Found Oyster for a seafood-forward restaurant collaboration. Following Found Oyster's pop-up at Saltie Girl, Saltie Girl will coming to Found Oyster on May 13. The Found Oyster menu will feature items like Oysters Royale, with caviar, vodka and creme fraiche; a tuna stuffed squid; and a fried clam roll. Reserve now for the meal on Tuesday, May 13 from 4-10 p.m. at Found Oyster at 4880 Fountain Ave.
The Beverly Hilton's Jazz Brunch is right around the corner. On May 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., brunch is set to be held on the rooftop of CIRCA 55. Guests will have the unique opportunity to enjoy a delicious array of spring brunch foods and enjoy a live jazz band. Guests will be able to enjoy the beautiful sites of the L.A. skyline while celebrating mothers with a delicious brunch. Reservations are from $155+ per person, $65+ for children 12 and under.
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
National awards, praise bestowed on Asheville restaurants, bars, breweries
ASHEVILLE - Asheville diners and imbibers know what the city has to offer, and the nation and world are taking notice. Beverage industry and Southern lifestyle publications have applauded local restaurants and bars for their menus and overall excellence. Several breweries and distilleries have been awarded medals in international craft beer and spirits competitions. Taste the best of the best ― here are some of Asheville's latest award-winning and accolade-earning destinations.: Southern Living editors scoured the country for the best new bites, finding three Asheville establishments worthy of making its list of the 20 Best New Restaurants in the South.: Good Hot Fish, a modern fish camp owned and operated by Chef Ashleigh Shanti, a former "Top Chef" and recurring Food Network contestant, offers a menu of creatively crafted seafood and Appalachian dishes ranging from catfish to trout bologna sandwiches. The eatery opened in January 2024 inside Eulogy, a music venue at Burial Beer Co., 10 Buxton Ave., in South Slope. Luminosa, a modern Appalachian-meets-Italian cuisine restaurant, opened in May 2024 in the historic Flatiron Building, which has been renovated as The Flat Iron Hotel at 20 Battery Park Ave. Led by Executive Chef Graham House and Chef de Cuisine Sean McMullen, Luminosa's seasonal menu regularly rotates with pasta, pizza and other vegetable-forward plates. Potential New Boyfriend, a wine bar and music listening lounge at 21 Haywood Road, opened in West Asheville in December. The menu of snacks and desserts, curated by pastry chef Dana Amromin, complements its modern, chic aesthetic and beverage selections. Save room for the artisan ice cream made by the owner, Disco. Good Hot Fish, Luminosa and Potential New Boyfriend were the only North Carolina businesses on the list, which can be viewed at Craft Spirits Magazine released its annual list of the best bars in the nation, with nods to two downtown watering holes, The Crow & Quill and Top of the Monk, which represent the Southeast on the list of favorites. The honorees were nominated by readers and selected for their approach to not just serving but also celebrating craft spirits. The Crow & Quill is a Prohibition-era speakeasy-style bar located at 106 N. Lexington Ave. featuring a catalog of nearly 1,100 spirits, including about 800 whiskeys. The Crow & Quill was one of 27 on the 2024 USA TODAY Bars of the Year list. Top of the Monk is the third-level cocktail bar at 92 Patton Ave. It's the top-floor concept with a rooftop deck in the same building as the craft beer taprooms, Thirsty Monk on the main floor and Delirium Bar in the basement, which are temporarily closed. View Craft Spirits Magazine's May/June issue with the complete list at The 2025 World Beer Cup awarded four medals to local breweries Diatribe Brewing Co., at 1042 Haywood Road, took home the gold medal in the Chocolate Beer category for its Chocolate Porter. Highland Brewing Co.'s Daycation Gold won the gold medal in the German-style Kölsch category. Visit Highland Brewing's taproom at 12 Old Charlotte Hwy. Hi-Wire Brewing Co. won the silver medal for its Hi-Wire Lager in the International-Style Pilsner category. Hi-Wire has three Asheville taprooms, including the recently reopened RAD Beer Garden at 284 Lyman St. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.'s Weizenbock won the gold medal in the South German-Style Weizenbock category. Its Mills River taproom is at 100 Sierra Nevada Way. Two local distilleries were awarded honors in the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Oak & Grist Distilling Co., at 1556 Grovestone Road in Black Mountain, won a gold medal for its American single-malt whiskey, Descendent. Chemist Spirits also won a gold medal for its American single-malt whiskey. The distillery and its cocktail bar, Antidote, are at 151 Coxe Ave. The winners are listed at The Mule, the bar at Devil's Foot Beverage, will host Winner's Circle, celebrating the awardees from 1-4 p.m. June 28 at 131 Sweeten Creek Road. The event will feature live music, hot dogs ("weiners for the winners") and samples and fights from the winning beverage companies. For more, visit The Mule on Facebook. The James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards have two WNC finalists in the running for medals. Silver Iocovozzi, chef and co-owner of the Filipinx restaurant Neng Jr.'s, is a nominee for the Best Chef: Southeast category. The West Asheville restaurant is at 701 Haywood Road. April Franqueza, of The Dining Room at High Hampton Resort, 1525 Highway 107 South in Cashiers, is a finalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker. The winners will be announced live at the James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on June 16 in Chicago. Chef Ashleigh Shanti is up for a James Beard Foundation Media Award for her debut cookbook, 'Our South: Black Food Through My Lens,' in the U.S. Foodways category, designated for "books with recipes focused on the cooking or foodways of regions or communities located within the United States." The Media Awards ceremony will be on June 14 in Chicago. For more, visit Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Tips, comments, questions? Email tkennell@ or follow @PrincessOfPage on Instagram/Bluesky. This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Winner, winner: Asheville restaurants, bars, breweries rack up awards
an hour ago
Casey Elsass shares recipes perfect for any gathering from new cookbook 'What Can I Bring?'
Casey Elsass is here to take the stress out of every partygoer's favorite question with recipes from his new cookbook, "What Can I Bring?: Recipes to Help You Live Your Guest Life." The veteran food and cookbook writer joined " Good Morning America" and "GMA3" on Friday to share a few standout dishes from the book, which includes 75 crowd-pleasing recipes designed with portability and ease in mind. Elsass showed us how to make pasta salad, "scrunchy bread" and party Krispie treats, complete with tips for packing and serving with minimal stress on-site. Check out the recipes below. Pasta Salad Servings: 6 "I could write an entire book about pasta salad, I just think it's so perfect. Pasta is the blankest canvas for whatever you want -- for evidence, please see 1 million pasta dishes everywhere -- so I really don't think there is a wrong answer here. But I do need to take a moment of your time to speak my truth about pasta salad. It often has cherry tomatoes and they're rarely good ones. It usually has raw red onion, which is immediately too pungent 3 seconds after dicing." "It usually has a chopped herb of some kind that just withers into brownness as it sits. And most people fumble the best window of flavor by not letting the hot pasta soak in the flavors of the sauce! To all these ends, I've made three sauces that hit the mark for my dream salad: a spicy red sauce made with broiled cherry tomatoes, an Italian sub – inspired dressing made with lightly pickled red onions, and a quick little pesto for a vibrantly green chopped herb. And you better believe all three versions get tossed with the pasta hot out of the pot so the noodles can slightly soften and extremely saturate." Ingredients Pasta sauce (see below) Kosher salt 12 to 16 ounces dried pasta in a fun shape, such as fusilli, gemelli, orecchiette, radiatori or rigatoni 8 ounces mozzarella pearls, drained 4 ounces sliced salami, cut into 1/4-inch strips (optional) 1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves 1 cup lightly packed fresh parsley leaves 1/2 cup sliced kalamata olives 1/2 cup sliced banana peppers, hot or mild 2 ounces Parmesan cheese Directions 1. Make your pasta sauce and keep it close by. In a large Dutch oven, combine 12 cups water and 1 tablespoon salt. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Stir in the pasta and cook until just al dente, according to the directions on the box. Drain in a colander and give it a few good shakes to get the water out. 2. In a large bowl, toss the pasta with about a third of the sauce. (Just eyeball it, it's all going in there eventually anyway.) Let the pasta sit for about 15 minutes to cool down. Then add any combo of the mozzarella, salami, basil, parsley, olives and peppers, and toss to combine. I need all of them to function, but this is your salad. 3. Finally, toss in the last of the sauce. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours -- the flavor really improves the longer the ingredients mingle. Let it sit at room temperature, covered, for 30 minutes before serving. My only request is to save the Parm until just before serving and use a vegetable peeler to shave it directly into the bowl. Toss lightly, but mostly leave it on top. Pasta sauce Red Sauce Preheat the oven to 500 F. In an 8-by-8-inch baking pan or oven-safe skillet, stir together 10 ounces whole cherry or grape tomatoes, 8 sun-dried tomatoes that have been finely chopped, 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 grated garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, an optional 1 tablespoon Calabrian chile paste if you like it spicy, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Broil until the tomatoes are bursting, about 6 minutes. Oil + Vin In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 of a medium red onion that's been very thinly sliced, 2 grated garlic cloves, and 1/4 cup red wine vinegar. Let the onions soak for 5 minutes to soften. Whisk in 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Pesto In a food processor, combine 2 cups baby spinach, 1 cup fresh basil leaves, 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts, 2 ice cubes, the juice of 1 lemon, 2 grated garlic cloves, either 2 teaspoons white miso or 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Process until the ice cubes stop rattling around and everything is nicely chopped. Add 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil and pulse 2 times just to combine. Tips from Elsass: If you're going to use cherry tomatoes, roast them or at least toss them with salt so their flavors concentrate. Skip the raw onion. There's always time to let it mellow out in a little vinegar. Instead of chopping the herbs, which will wither and brown, use whole leaves for a visual punch. Save the Parmesan until just before serving, and use a vegetable peeler to create nice big strips. Scrunchy Bread Makes an 8-inch round "Welcome to Part Two of freezer dough reinvented. Phyllo is our focus this time for a round loaf that's all crispy, shattering layers on the outside, all warm and savory on the inside. Blending up sun-dried tomatoes with feta will get you a perfectly salty, rich center and then it's just dabbing a little olive oil as you layer up the phyllo and filling. This is the 'Wow, what is in this?' moment we all fantasize about." Ingredients 16-ounce box frozen phyllo dough, thawed 8-ounce jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil 6 ounces feta 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil Sesame seeds and freshly ground black pepper Directions 1. Remember to set the phyllo dough in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. 2. Preheat the oven to 375 F and set a rack in the center. Dip a pastry brush into the sun-dried tomato oil and lightly brush the bottom and sides of an 8-inch (or 9-inch) cake pan. Fold a piece of parchment in half lengthwise and press to adhere across the cake pan (for an easy lift later) and brush that too. 3. In a blender or food processor, combine the sun-dried tomatoes with the rest of their oil, the feta broken into rough crumbles, and oregano. Process until a smooth mixture forms. 4. Reserve 2 tablespoons in a small bowl and keep the rest in the blender. 5. Unroll the phyllo on a clean counter. Pour 1 cup of the olive oil into a small bowl. Lay a sheet of phyllo in the pan, letting the edges hang over. Dip a pastry brush in the olive oil and lightly brush the dough. Repeat this until you have 10 layers of dough on the bottom. Don't worry if any of the sheets tear, it's all baking together anyway. 6. Pour about half of the tomato mixture over the phyllo and use a spatula to spread in an even layer. 7. Continue layering and brushing the rest of the sheets, then pour the rest of the tomato mixture and spread again. 8. Whisk the reserved tomato mixture with the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. 9. Start folding the overhang into the center a couple pieces at a time and lightly brushing the top with the tomato oil. I like to spread the first few pieces flat so the filling is covered, then start making pretty scrunches around the surface with the rest. (You can even trim off some of the overhang to twist and scrunch and place around the top.) 10. Brush any remaining tomato oil over the top, then generously sprinkle sesame seeds and some good cracks of pepper across the surface. 11. Slide the pan into the oven and set a timer for 45 minutes. 12. The phyllo should be golden brown and crispy, but give it another 5 minutes if you think it needs it. 13. Cool for 15 minutes (or completely) in the pan, then use the parchment to airlift it to a cutting board or serving plate. 14. Slide the parchment out from underneath before slicing and serving. Party tricks: This is perfect at room temperature, but if you really want to serve it hot, assemble everything at home and cover the top of the pan before transporting. Plan your oven space ahead of time with your host, bake it, cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then use the parchment to lift out and serve right away. Any leftover bread can be stored in a zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. Tips from Elsass: This is bread that repurposes freezer dough for anyone a little nervous to bake. With impressive layers and savory filling, this is the "Wow, what is in this?" moment we all fantasize about. Remember to set the phyllo dough in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. Because we're making layers that all bake together, you don't have to worry if the sheets tear. And any scraps can be used on the top layer. This is perfect at room temperature, but you can also assemble everything at home and bake when you get there. Party Krispie Treats Makes 12 squares "A quick toss with some lightly browned butter and toasted coconut shreds gives these krispies an unusually great depth of flavor. We could stop right there, but where's the fun in that? What makes these party krispies is the no rules, no limits toppings as you pile on everything sweet and gorgeous and fun. There's a long list of my favorites in the ingredient list, and the only advice I have for you is to think strategically when you're planning out what to buy, keeping in mind that you ideally want a mix of colors, sizes, textures, flavors, and shapes for maximum impact." Ingredients Nonstick cooking spray 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 10-ounce bag mini marshmallows 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 6 cups Rice Krispies (from a 12-ounce box; see party tricks) Any combination of crushed mini pretzels, crushed potato chips, crushed Oreos, crushed frosted animal crackers, white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, rainbow sprinkles, confetti sprinkles, decorative sprinkles, sparkling sugar, sanding sugar, edible glitter, Fruity Pebbles, Lucky Charms marshmallows, or flaky sea salt, for garnish Directions 1. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Measure a 16-inch piece of parchment. Fold it in half lengthwise and press it lengthwise into the baking pan so there's a little overhang on each side. (Metal binder clips are super helpful for keeping the parchment in place.) Coat the parchment with a little more spray, too. 2. In a large Dutch oven (see party tricks), melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the coconut and use a rubber spatula to coat in the butter. We're going to lightly toast the coconut and lightly brown the butter at the same time, so stay sharp. 3. Let the mixture simmer and bubble, stirring occasionally. At about 4 minutes, it'll be pretty foamy. Start stirring continuously so you can see what's going on in there. Around 5 or 6 minutes in, the coconut will have a light golden toast and the butter will be tan. 4. Remove from the stove and immediately stir in the marshmallows and salt. Keep stirring until they're about 75 percent melted, then add the Rice Krispies. Very slowly and gently fold in the cereal as the marshmallows finish melting. (You'll hear some snap, crackle, and popping -- totally normal.) 5. Scrape into the prepared baking pan. Lightly coat a smaller piece of parchment with nonstick spray and use it to press the mixture into an evenly distributed rectangle (see Party Tricks). While it's still sticky, blanket the top with a mix of treats. 6. Slide the pan into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to set. When the krispies feel firm, use the sling to lift them out of the pan and onto a large cutting board. 7. Slide the parchment out from underneath, then slice into 12 equal squares. Arrange them on a serving platter or store somewhere cool until it's go time. Party tricks: Rice Krispies are not gluten-free! A few brands are, like Nature's Path and One Degree Organic Foods. Just pay attention to your toppings if you're going GF. A light-colored enamel or stainless-steel pot will help you monitor the butter browning. Anything with a black surface will literally leave you in the dark. Leftover treats can be stored in a zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. Tips from Elsass: These are the easier treat if you don't have the energy for a box of donuts, but still fun and exciting to bring. A quick toss with some lightly browned butter and toasted coconut shreds gives these krispies an unusually great depth of flavor. When you're planning your toppings, keep in mind that you ideally want a mix of colors, sizes, textures, flavors and shapes for maximum impact. Use a light-colored enamel or stainless-steel pot to brown the butter. Anything with a black surface will literally leave you in the dark. I keep a box of metal binder clips in my kitchen. They're super helpful for keeping parchment in place and oven-safe. Use a small piece of parchment coated with nonstick spray to press the krispies into the pan. Maximum control and clean hands! 'GMA' kitchen picks By clicking on these shopping links, visitors will leave and and these e-commerce sites are operated under different terms and privacy policies. ABC will receive a commission for purchases made through these links. SOME PRICES ARE DYNAMIC AND MAY CHANGE FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION. Have questions about ordering or a purchase? Click here. Caraway Baking Sheet Duo $115 Caraway Shop Now Amazon Overmont Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven $59.99 Amazon Shop Now
Los Angeles Times
2 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
How a filmmaker couple's adoption story inspired the bloody dark comedy ‘I Don't Understand You'
A bloody horror-comedy isn't the genre that springs to mind as a 'love letter' to one's 5-year-old, but for Brian Crano and David Joseph Craig, it's the perfect way to express their devotion to their child. The married filmmakers started penning the semi-autobiographical screenplay as a therapeutic exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic shortly after adopting their son. 'With the tiredness of having a newborn, it was kind of our mutual catharsis during that time,' Craig said. But a deeply serious, emotional script about their difficult road to fatherhood didn't interest them. Instead, the final product begins as a lighthearted comedy then turns dark — complete with a few dead bodies. 'I Don't Understand You,' which hit theaters Friday, stars Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells as characters loosely based on Crano and Craig, who also co-directed the movie. The beginning of the story faithfully follows the real-life couple's journey to become fathers, including a heartbreaking experience with adoption fraud. They had been trying to adopt a child for nearly three years and felt weighed down by the challenges. In a twist of fate, they were matched with a birth mother just as they were traveling to Italy to celebrate their 10th anniversary. That trip was essentially a comedy of errors. Their car got stuck in a ditch during a relentless rainstorm and the couple was rescued by an old Italian woman and her family, whom they couldn't understand at all. When they told their friend — and the movie's eventual producer — actor and filmmaker Joel Edgerton about the travel nightmare, he encouraged them to get writing. But how did Crano and Craig go from crafting characters loosely based on themselves to making them (mostly accidental) murderers? By adapting their real-life coping mechanism to the film. 'We processed our own trauma around what happened to us personally through really dark comedy to each other,' Craig said. 'It just felt like that was the story we were prepared to tell.' 'Doing a polemical, flag-wavy, tear-jerky adoption movie felt like really the wrong vibe for us,' Crano added. As the couple described the process of making the film, they frequently finished each other's sentences. They were in sync despite being on a Zoom call from different coasts, with Craig in New York ahead of the film's premiere and Crano in L.A. Their overlapping responses seem to mirror their writing process — each is attuned to his partner's strengths and how his mind works, and they're both 'obsessed' with iteration, as Crano said, hoping to find the perfect turn of phrase or one-liner through repeated conversations. 'Not to interrupt, Brian,' Craig interjected at one point, 'but I think this is where you were going.' Kroll and Rannells' Dom and Cole, like Crano and Craig, learn the happy news of a match after adoption struggles, get their car stuck in a ditch on their anniversary trip and find refuge in an old Italian woman's home. Then the plot departs from reality and descends into macabre humor, with Cole accidentally pushing the old lady down the stairs, killing her. The duo didn't have much of the plot drawn out ahead of time. Crano said they just wanted to explore the question: 'What's the worst thing that they could do next?' For Kroll and Rannells, playing characters inspired by their directors enabled them to tap into the emotional heart of the story in an authentic way. Both actors, speaking to The Times via Zoom, said the directors were transparent about their adoption experience. 'It would be so funny if we had been like, 'Hey, what was it like when you found out that you weren't gonna get the baby?' and they were like, 'How dare you?'' Kroll quipped. 'But it was super helpful to have them as references and resources, but also at the same time, their willingness to let us make choices that may not have been exactly what they would have said or how they would have said it. David and Brian had a really clear vision for it, but also were quite open to things organically taking shape that was new to the film.' Rannells, who was working with a directing team for the first time, commended the duo's ability to run the ship collaboratively. 'They were very much always on the same page, which was great,' he said. 'That was maybe a little bit of a fear of going into it. I was like, 'How is this really going to work?' Like, 'Who are we listening to and how?' But they did it really seamlessly and it never felt overwhelming.' Much of the comedy Kroll and Rannells deliver is rooted in cultural misunderstandings. Dom's Duolingo streak proves insufficient in helping the couple communicate in Italy, and they often mistake the locals' remarks or actions as homophobic. Craig said the characters' frequent misinterpretations took on the role of the 'monster,' since this is a horror movie without a true boogeyman. Their ignorance leads them to believe they're in danger. 'Our monster is their own perception of hostility,' he said. 'There's such a deep desire to be comfortable that they would almost rather do violence than be uncomfortable,' Crano added. Craig chimed in, 'And have to talk about it with somebody they can't communicate with.' Although they have committed American tourist faux pas like their characters, Crano and Craig said the adoption story is the most true-to-life aspect of the movie. The couple's beloved dog Axel — who died just a few months after they wrapped shooting — is Dom and Cole's pet in the film and their young son, Washington, nicknamed 'Washy,' plays Dom and Cole's child in a brief scene. After seeing himself on the big screen at the film's debut at South by Southwest last year, Craig said the 5-year-old thinks he's a movie star. His one demand, they said, was to wear a cowboy costume for his scene, which they obliged. Crano and Craig said Washy will likely be allowed to watch 'I Don't Understand You' at a younger age than he should. 'The thing we really hope he gets out of it is the true message of the movie: 'What would you do for your child?'' Craig said. 'And we hope he really understands that we would do anything for him.' 'It is a love letter to him,' Crano said. 'In a purely strange way,' Craig added, finishing his husband's thoughts once more.
