I’ve been spending a lot of time canoodling in Crown Heights these days — and despite the convenient Subway access and frequent drug busts, there was a time when I doubted I would ever be able to find a real restaurant (with waiters and everything) within walking distance.

Then I met Chavella’s.

Now, Chavella’s is actually in Prospect Heights, but still well within walking distance of my main squeeze’s CH pad. Anyway.

Chavella’s offers surprisingly authentic Mexican cuisine — the menu is full of spicy, succulent dishes, without a burrito in sight. Plus, it’s super-affordable: choose an inclusive brunch for $11.25, or à la carte options in the $3–$8 range. The drink menu is scant but satisfying, offering beer, sangria, red and white wine, and margaritas at times. (The Cinco de Mayo jalapeño margarita was a once in a lifetime experience — i.e., I wouldn’t try it again. It was delicious, but in a humbling, tongue-numbing sort of way.)

I recommend the tacos, which are $3 apiece, allowing for guilt-free experimenting, as well as the chiles rellenos con queso — the cheese-stuffed peppers that my Crown Heights amigo so enjoyed. But before you get to that stuff, be sure to order the guacamole app. It comes in an innocent looking animal-shaped bowl, but don’t be fooled — it will absolutely ruin guac for you anywhere else.

Harsh toke, dude.

Following two months of undercover investigation, NYC police raided six Crown Heights businesses on Tuesday for selling marijuana alongside products such as jerk chicken, t-shirts, and CDs.

The offending businesses are all within a ten-block radius – four are on Nostrand Avenue alone – but police say that the drug dealings were not part of a coordinated effort. But coordinated or not, the area saw 170 pounds of drug traffic every week, NYT reports.

Aside from the facts, The Times’ coverage includes two quotes worth repeating:

• Raymond W. Kelly, the NYC police commissioner, described a “veritable pot-luck event” occurring every day at lunch, when marijuana was available in back rooms, over the counter, and even in the food.
• Letitia James, a Crown Heights councilwoman, called the busted scene “an open drug bazaar on Nostrand Avenue.”

Whether or not any of the businesses will be able to stay above ground by actually selling jerk chicken and the like is anybody’s guess. For now, though, they remain closed.

If you’re digging the warm weather like us, you probably hate to go inside, even for some grub. (Or sauce.) To remedy this situation, Brooklyn Based brings us a list of BK food and drinkeries savvy in outdoor cuisine.

Rocky Sullivan’s in Red Hook features a surprisingly tranquil rooftop bar, perfect for knocking back a couple after a long day.

Crown Height’s Franklin Park provides a much-needed beer hotspot in the neighborhood with a serene front patio. And the 12 brews on tap aren’t bad either.

My Moon (pictured) in Williamsburg isn’t known for its food or wine selection (although both are perfectly acceptable), however the plant-rich patio is downright luxurious.

Check out the whole list here.

Imagine if Goldilocks went apartment-hunting in Brooklyn.

She would shun Crown Heights — although super-convenient for Manhattan commuters, this efficient region is crowded to the point of bustling to the point of claustrophobic. “Too metropolitan,” she would say.

But what about Williamsburg? Metropolitan in a very different way — the jeans are claustrophobic, not the streets — Williamsburg would probably be a little posh for our yellow-haired youth, who still prefers porridge to crêpes. “Too trendy” would be the complaint.

For something, ahem, just right, Ms. Locks would likely travel to Greenpoint. One of our favorite neighborhoods, Greenpoint is a comparatively quieter neighborhood featuring a longstanding Polish community and recent smattering of hipsters overflowing from Williamsburg.

Goldilocks would love the neighborhood’s proximity to the L (…and the G), and even its nearness to Williamsburg, which is good every once in a while.

Now, to shop for chairs…

Image via flickr

Passengers heading from Brooklyn to Lower Manhattan should be aware that transfers between the #2, #3, #4, #5, and (A) trains will not be available at the Fulton Street/Broadway-Nassau Street station in Lower Manhattan due to Phase II construction of the Fulton Street Transit Center.  Passengers may transfer between the #2/#3 trains and the #4 train at Nevins Street, Boerum Hill; transfers between the #2/#3 and uptown (A) trains at Park Place/Chambers Street in Manhattan.

Travelers wishing to make a transfer between the uptown (A) and the downtown #4/#5 must ask the station agent for a transfer ticket, exit the station and reenter at Broadway…

Manhattan-bound (A) trains will operate local service from Euclid Avenue, East New York to Canal Street, Manhattan, express from Canal Street to 59th Street-Columbus Circle, local from 59th to 125th Streets, then express from 125th through 168th Streets for work on the Chambers Street signal modernization, 59th Street station rehab, and a track chip out at 163rd Street.

Brooklyn-bound (A) trains will run local between 168th Street and 4th Street, Manhattan, then over the (F) line between 4th Street and Jay Street, Brooklyn Heights, then resume local (A) service between Jay Street and Euclid Avenue due to the Chambers Street signal modernization.

Due to the modifications to the (A) train, (C) train service will not operate this weekend…

(D) train service will not operate between Pacific Avenue, Boerum Hill and 34th Street/Herald Square, due to construction of the free transfer passageway between the Broadway-Lafayette Street station on the (B), (D), (F), and (V) trains and the Bleeker Street station on the #6.  Alternate service is available via the (N) or shuttle buses in Manhattan.  Service adjustments will take effect tonight at 11:30 p.m. through 5:00 a.m. Monday…

(N) train service will be significantly modified due to various TA and NYCDOT projects.

Coney Island-bound (N) trains will operate via the (R) between Canal Street, Manhattan, and DeKalb Street, Fort Greene, then operate local service between Pacific Street, Park Slope, and 36th Street, Prospect Park, then express between 36th Street and Stillwell Avenue, Coney Island.

Manhattan and Queens-bound (N) trains will operate local beween 59th Street, Sunset Park, and Pacific Street, then operate via the Manhattan Bridge between DeKalb Street and Canal Street, Manhattan.

The adjustments are due to NYCDOT repairs on the 65th Street Bridge, maintenance in the Montague Tunnel, and other maintenance projects…

Manhattan bound (Q) and (R) train service will operate via the Manhattan Bridge between 6:30 a.m. and 12:00 a.m. Saturday and Sunday due to maintenance in the Montague Tunnel…

In addition, a shuttle bus on the (R) will operate between 36th Street and 95th Street, Bay Ridge between 11:30 p.m. tonight and 5:30 a.m. Monday due to NYCDOT construction on the 65th Street Bridge.

For additional information on service adjustments, contact the TA Information Center at (718) 330-1234 or visit www.mta.info.

PARK SLOPE -

Within the last hour, the NYPD responded to the 9th Street/7th Avenue station for a report of a person trapped under a train.  The victim was pronounced dead on scene by FDNY EMS personnel.

While the MTA web site does not indicate any delays on the (F) and (G) trains as of the time of this posting, the victim was removed from the station shortly before 9:00 a.m.

No further information is available as of this posting.

CROWN HEIGHTS - Manhattan-bound riders on the (C) Fulton Avenue Line local are experiencing delays due to signal problems at Utica Avenue.  (A) express service through Brooklyn is not reporting delays through the same corridor, nor is Brooklyn-bound (C) service to Euclid Avenue.

CROWN HEIGHTS –

The FDNY was dispatched to a house fire at 12:27 p.m., however, the FDNY claims that two separate 9-1-1 calls by civilians made it difficult for dispatchers to send crews to the correct location, according to the New York Post.

The initial dispatch had firefighters dispatched to Rogers Avenue, one block away from the actual fire scene at 654 St. Marks Avenue.  Crews from Engine 280/Ladder 132 responded to the Rogers Avenue location, however a civilian on scene directed them to the St. Marks location.

Two different FDNY press hacks told the Post that dispatchers were given incomplete information from 9-1-1 callers.

The Deputy Chief in command of the scene told the Post that it took eight minutes for firefighters to respond to the correct location due to incomplete information.  However, Jim Long of the FDNY press office reported that trucks were at the correct address in six minutes.

Another flack for the FDNY elaborated on the incomplete information claims:

“They were dispatched based on information from two 911 callers — both via cellphones — reporting a fire in the vicinity of Rogers Avenue and Prospect Avenue,” said … FDNY spokesman, Frank Gribbon. “[They] learned upon their arrival at the callers’ location that the fire was around the corner. The units immediately proceeded to that location.”

However, it proved to be too late for Myrtel Jean, 42, and his two toddler sons, Fabrice, 2, and Sebastian, 1.  All three were pronounced dead at the scene.

This is the second fatal house fire that the Uniformed Firefighters Association claimed that was caused by a dispatching error.  Crews in Woodside, Queens, were dispatched to the wrong address for a working fire on November 7 in which three men died.