ABC TV host Zan Rowe returns to our screens next month with season two of Take 5 – an epic line-up of guests from Noel Gallagher, Natalie Imbruglia and G Flip, who dive deep into a word of conversation that links their strongest memories back to music and how it shaped their lives. Rowe, who also hosts Friday mornings on Double J and creates the very addictive and entertaining podcast Bang On with her buddy Myf Warhust talks to The Write Drop about drinks, travel, dining and what makes her palette tick.
Why Melbourne
People show up in Melbourne, for each other, for live events, in the face of terrible weather or late nights. We show up. It’s a beautiful ecosystem that makes the city yum. In a nutshell, community.
Favourite Food Memory
That’s a tough one- but a recent 5pm dinner at France Soir meant I caught the tail end of the long-lunchers, and the simple, delicious French bistro coupled with the languid locals was perfection.
Favourite Dish
The hangar steak at the recently refreshed Sporting Club Hotel in Brunswick. A wonderful refurb.
Drink of Choice
A good glass of wine at City Wine Shop in Melbourne.
Best Hangover Cure
Hydralyte and two Panadol plus fish and chips – battered not grilled. Trust me.
Fave Destination
Palm Cove. I did a short break with a mate last year and it was the perfect ‘do nothing’ holiday. Watched the waves, ate at the excellent Nu Nu, and drank passionfruit and chili margaritas under the palm trees.
A Drink that Describes your Personality
Margarita – the perfect blend of sweet and salty and always refreshing.
Favourite Wine
Provenance Golden Plains Pinot Noir is always reliable and delicious, and yes, I may also be partial to it because it’s the same name and place as the festival.
Winery You Would Visit Again
Montalto on the Mornington Peninsula. It has a great cellar door where you can taste olive oil too, and a beautiful restaurant bathed in light, that looks over the vineyards and sculpture garden. It makes me feel happy just thinking about its golden bliss.
On the Road with Take 5
The new season of Take 5 took us to London, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. In London we filmed Noel Gallagher at his own studio in Kings Cross, and it was incredible to be surrounded by a lifetime of his memorabilia. From Noel babushka dolls to a framed part of the Hacienda floor, framed pics of his heroes (football and music alike), and no pics of Oasis. Ha! When he arrived his first stop was the kitchen for a cup of tea. England, through and through.
Next destination
For me, Spain and Portugal and all the food and wine of those great nations. For the show? Nashville, to get Dolly Parton to Take 5. She hasn’t said yes, but I figure if I manifest it, it’ll happen soon enough.
Watch Season One on ABC iView.
https://iview.abc.net.au/show/take-5-with-zan-rowe
Season Two kicks off on ABC TV 10th October.
