Alexander Lombardo

   To set the record straight I’m not a huge sports fan. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy going to the occasional sporting event, people watching and sipping on a warm $8 Coors while I sit in the nose bleed section and try to squint at the players numbers. To be honest I’d rather study the construction and architecture of the arena than concern myself with what is going on inside.

    I was in Cleveland this past February for work and as soon as we were allowed to turn our phones on after the plane landed, I had received a text from a friend inviting me to a Cavs game that evening against the Orlando Magic. Not being one to turn down a free ticket, I met my friend in Downtown Cleveland and instantly gasped at how busy the streets were. Restaurants and bars were jam-packed, parking lots were at capacity and street vendors were making money hand over fist. Not to mention that this was all happening in the middle of a February snowstorm and on a weeknight. At that moment, I was happy for the city of Cleveland, who for so many years had little to celebrate. For the first time in a long time, Cleveland made positive headlines in the media, all thanks to LeBron James and his ability to play basketball.

   People from all over the world came to see him play and now, all of a sudden, I was reading about celebrities visiting Cleveland. I have to admit that it was exciting. This was the momentum Cleveland needed to get things moving again, to bring people back downtown, and showcase the city in a positive spotlight. LeBron James’ face was plastered all over the city, even during football season. He was the savior who was going to lead the team to the championships, bring home that trophy, and end the slump. We were all witnesses; it wasn’t a matter of when, but how many titles.

   Last week all of that came to a crashing halt when LeBron announced on national television that he was leaving for Miami and, truth be told, I couldn’t care less. What I was reminded of on that day was that professional sports are a business – a very big and very lucrative business.  A city should never depend on one athlete to carry its team. At the end of the sports day, all that really matters are the dollar signs.

   I moved away from Cleveland 6 years ago. I was able to fit everything I owned into a Honda Civic, which now seems insane as I look around my crowded Brooklyn apartment. When I left, I said my goodbyes and drove off without leaving anyone guessing.

   I wish LeBron had done the same.



Check out this video of our photo shoot at B Spot Burgers in Cleveland, Ohio. I was fortunate enough to work with other CIA Alum in contributing to the design of the restaurant.

www.bspotburgers.com

www.charissamelnik.com

I just finished making a small portfolio site for Charissa's food styling imagery. She does such amazing work and so lucky that I get to sample most of the dishes she creates.

I love that the Knitting Factory has moved to Brooklyn and are throwing shows like this. Tickets were only $14 and the show sold out shortly after we bought our tickets. In addition to the shows they also have some of the cheapest beers in town which is so rare for a concert venue. Shortly after I snapped this photo with my phone some dudes boot came flying at me and nearly missed my head (last show I went to at Knitting Factory 'The Spits' some guy jumped off the stage and landed directly on the top of my head and screwed me up for over a month). All in all a pretty solid Thursday night and great night to be out on my bike.

Cupcakes and beer at the office can only mean one thing.... Bring your kids to work day. Ok, 2 things. Today at Epicurious we are officially calling IE6 an unsupported browser and brought out the fine china to celebrate. Drinking beer in the middle of the afternoon can only mean that my motivation as of this point is basically nonexistent. So 3-cheers to YOU Internet Explorer 6 for making my Thursday afternoon pretty awesome.