where do you work?

My local Coffee People closed earlier this year. I'd blogged previously about how I would work from that location a couple of times each week -- to get out and be semi-social while maintaining productivity, and to escape the distractions of the home office.

My home office distractions have been particularly problematic these past months. Journey is diabetic (diagnosed in February) and only last week showed signs of responding to treatment. Lakshmi continues to be an unpredictable banshee. Kenobi got a mysterious spider bite that ballooned up into an abscess. My neighbor likes to stand outside and rip people a new one over the telephone, for everyone to hear. That sort of thing.

So, I've been looking for a new "office away from home."

Yesterday, I headed over to Bella Espresso, a chic little coffee bistro that's a bit ornate for my taste. And loud, as it turns out. They were blasting Michael Bublé when I first arrived, then moved into metal music, and then jumped back to Frank Sinatra -- all at high volume. The ladies room is located outside, at the end of a row of shops, and I don't feel very secure about leaving my laptop unattended.

Starbucks -- which, incidentally, bought Coffee People -- has a location very close to my home/office. WiFi at Starbucks is offered by T-Mobile for $10 a pop, or a monthly subscription of $20 ($240/year). Plus, it's loud and often full -- usually packed with screaming children and/or prancing teenagers. I really don't have anything against children or young people, except when I'm trying to concentrate. ;)

I like Longbottom, and may head over that way this morning. Free WiFi, full-service menu, comfy chairs, and relatively quiet. However, it's a bit of a haul from my house, and they close in the early afternoon.

There are several other possibilities that are also a fair distance away (which means driving) -- Java Nation, Urban Rhythms, Ava Roasteria, and both Powells and Borders at Cedar Hills.

Powells has free WiFi, and it's groovy to be so close to so many books and magazines (easy research!), but electrical outlets can be difficult/impossible to find. Borders can be quiet, but they're again served by T-Mobile's HotSpot.

The good news is that my local library branch is moving to a new location, offering much more space, a cozy fireplace area, WiFi, etc. -- not to mention the proximity to books -- bookstores and libraries are essentially my Shangri-La, or at least one of its incarnations. The bad news is that it may not be accessible by bike. I already drive rather infrequently, and am trying to reduce this further.

So.... This is my long, drawn-out way of asking where you like to work, whether you're writing, grading papers, designing org charts, or whatever you may do remotely. Where do you go to work when you're out of your regular office, and why you like it there?