The very first time I met Alex Turner, I was 20 years old and visiting NYC while the Arctic Monkeys were touring North America to promote their debut album, ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not’. I was waiting to leave a hotel lobby with a couple of friends of mine from their road crew to head out to dinner plans we had made when Alex came off of the elevator and we were introduced.

What I remember most about Alex back then was how baby-faced and young he appeared. We were the same age, but he seemed years younger. He was shy, soft-spoken, polite and had a couple of pimples (I did too- which was a relief)– but never, not once- did he ever strike me as a “rock star”. He was simply Alex from Sheffield. A nice kid in a band that wrote catchy songs and was in the same boat as me in the sense that we were in one of the most exciting cities in the world- but still weren’t old enough to legally get into bars.

Over the years, I’d seen Alex plenty of more times. We laughed and took what is undoubtedly the most unflattering photo of either one of us while I was in London for Reading Festival years ago. We talked music and food backstage at a gig in San Diego after I’d turned 21- and whenever he and the Arctic Monkeys would visit Boston (and specifically the House of Blues)– there would almost always be a competitive bowling tournament next door after the show where the band, the crew, myself, and anyone else who tagged along would pound a few drinks and slide around in bowling shoes until closing time.

Even though his appearance changed from youthful-looking, mop-headed kid into a more put together and handsome adult man- I still always thought of him as Alex from Sheffield. Even when he thrashed around on stage. He was never a “rock star”.

Then I saw Alex and Miles Kane perform as The Last Shadow Puppets this past Sunday at the House of Blues in Boston, and that perception entirely changed. I suddenly understood the crowd- FILLED with shrieking women professing their undying love for Alex- and why they were so frenzied. Gone was the shy, soft-spoken kid I’d met years ago- and in his place was a loud, exciting and provocative rock star. Right there before my eyes.

It was a trip.

The show was impressive and pretty incredible- and I’ve been loving the new album, ‘Everything You’ve Come To Expect’ that they were/are promoting with this current tour. Their opening act, Cameron Avery- was really fun, too. I enjoyed his set very much.

Since Sunday night post-show at the HOB, I’ve been working and trying to get my sleep schedule back on track since these past couple of weeks have consisted of a tremendous amount of staying out late and getting up obscenely early. Tuesday, my usual day off- was spent lazily lounging around my best friend’s new apartment in Melrose- watching “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” episodes on Netflix, napping, fooling around on Snapchat (I just downloaded it for the first time and I’m having way too much fun with it) and only exerting myself when it came time to load up on Mexican food and banana split sundaes.

So, so good. I love my days off!

I’m looking forward to this weekend, since I have a couple of recipes I’ll be trying my hand at- and a trip to Mystic, Connecticut I’ve been meaning to take for a few weeks now.

I’ll be sure to bring my camera with me since the town and it’s surrounding areas are really beautiful in the late Summertime.

xx