All I want is to be able get a tall coffee with my short Joe (okay, my son's name is not Joe but you get the point.) I would like to sip a decent coffee while I sit and relax with my son. Is this really too much to ask?

Let me be clear about my parameters. In terms of a "decent coffee," I'm talking about a Starbucks or Seattle's Best grade. And when I say "sit and relax," I'm not imagining kicking back on a chaise with my feet up while getting a massage (though that would be nice!) but rather just not having to be "on" my son every second before all the baristas and patrons begin to glare at me because he's decided to go on a a bit of a walkabout and say a few hellos.

When we lived in the city, my son and I would frequent numerous indoor playspaces where I could get a coffee and he could play. It's ideal to be able to energize yourself with caffeine as your kids de-energize (also known as run and play). Indoor playspaces make sense in the city because almost everyone lives in postage stamp-sized apartments without basements and backyards and so they have no large place to play.

Here, on the other hand, almost everyone has the basement and backyard  (which is why we're here, right?) but because we have them, we don't have playspaces.

This is how Target's Starbucks became the social center of my world. (If I had the foresight to see myself write that line 10 years ago, I may have just passed out. But things have changed and I have no shame in that.)

In fact, it just so practical! Listen, the coffee is good, no one minds if the kids run around a bit (it's loud as it as) and I can multitask and get some shopping done at the same time. This is obviously not a novel idea since we always run into people we know there. Just the other day I ran into three people I knew during a 10 minute coffee break. I was caffeinated, I had two happy kids and I got to catch up with some friends. But truly, I'd prefer a bit more charm.

Noka Joe's is my hands down favorite coffee shop. Walking in there is like walking onto the set of Cheers (minus the beer and Norm). Jennifer Cook, the owner, is a great conversationalist and truly knows everyone's name. When the weather is nice, there's nothing better than sipping the delicious, shade-grown coffee (for me) while watching the trains, people, and delivery trucks pass by (my sons). But when it's cold or rainy there's no where to sit (thank you town of Katonah zoning laws).

Perks, on the other hand, is no Central Perk (the Friends version of Cheers). For the first two months of my first son's preschool experience, I sat nervously at Perk's with a large coffee, a snack and my fully charged cell phone on my table. Every Tuesday and Thursday I frequented the place and no one ever knew my name (nor did they seem to care if I came). Perks seemed quite steely, both figuratively and literally. Those small, round steel tables are far from ideal for active toddlers (for some reason they have a magnetic force with my two-year old's head).

The local bagel shops have mouth-watering bagels but the coffee is generally gas-station grade.  And Dunkin' Donuts has it lures but since I've given up sugar, that place it's a no-go zone.

I have always wondered why there no drive-thrus around? Even in the most remote towns in Montana, they have mini-espresso huts in random parking lots. Granted, I don't want to promote laziness but truly, wouldn't a drive-thru that offered good coffee and treats without having to undo and redo countless race car grade seat belts on our kids' car seats be massively appealing?

One urban invention that might actually work here is a mobile espresso truck- entrepreneurs take note. Just imagine how an ice cream truck with coffee and treats would lure the parents and caregivers off the benches in the park. If a truck pulled into playground parking lots playing some hip techno music, now we would be talking some good cawfee tawk!

Discuss.

Michelle Sinclair Colman is a freelance writer and author based in Waccabuc. Her column about her life with children will appear every week in the Bedford Katonah Patch. Colman is the author of such popular children's books as Urban Babies Wear Black and Eco Babies Wear Green.