start MySQL server from command line on Mac OS Lion

Simply:

mysql.server start

mysql.server stop

mysql.server restart

Try /usr/local/mysql/bin/mysqld_safe

Example:

shell> sudo /usr/local/mysql/bin/mysqld_safe
(Enter your password, if necessary)
(Press Control-Z)
shell> bg
(Press Control-D or enter "exit" to exit the shell)

You can also add these to your bash startup scripts:

export MYSQL_HOME=/usr/local/mysql
alias start_mysql='sudo $MYSQL_HOME/bin/mysqld_safe &'
alias stop_mysql='sudo $MYSQL_HOME/bin/mysqladmin shutdown'

I like the aliases too ... however, I've had issues with MySQLCOM for start ... it fails silently ... My workaround is akin to the others ... ~/.bash_aliases

alias mysqlstart='sudo /usr/local/mysql/support-files/mysql.server start'
alias mysqlstop='sudo /usr/local/mysql/support-files/mysql.server stop'