Alex and I are always lamenting the fact that we don't have a garden or balcony or any outdoor space. Once Toby goes to bed, we're pretty much stuck inside for the night. But then! We had a lightbulb moment...
We could hang out on our fire escape. So we've started a little ritual of climbing out there on random warm evenings, and last night, we decided to snap some photos. First, we dress up to make it feel more like a real date. (I usually wear jeans and a T-shirt at home...or, let's be honest...pajamas:)
Then we climb out our bedroom window. (Whoot, whoot! Nice legs!)
We sip and chat, three stories up. We can hear the street noise (cars honking), the trees (leaves rustling), and a restaurant garden nearby (people murmuring, glasses clinking)...
Do you ever drink rose? Sometimes it gets a bad rap, but it's the perfect refreshing drink for a warm evening. And I love the bright pink hue; it just feels like summer. (Side note: You can spot the restaurant garden below us, to the left of Alex.)
Our fire escape looks across a courtyard onto another apartment building, just like Rear Window.
We love our little outdoor drinks, and I'm glad, after six years of living here, that we finally thought of it!Do you have a fire escape? Or a balcony? Or (gasp) an actual garden? Be still my heart.
(Update: I'm wearing this silk polka-dot skirt and these Swedish Hasbeen sandals.)
UM, FUN!!! How innovative, you guys! I love it... and rose ;o)
ReplyDeleteThis is too good.
ReplyDeleteThat just goes to show, Jo, that it's not about the place, it's about the company you keep! :-] I say that while staring out at my huge backyard, with a hummingbird feeder being visited. Sorry. :-))
ReplyDeleteThat is seriously the most romantic thing I have ever heard! It actually made me a little teary and wistful.
ReplyDeleteHere in DC we (the yard-less at least!) are stoop cocktailers...
ReplyDeleteI miss my little "balcony" in my West Village apartment, though. The foot traffic below made it feel much more like an exclusive wine bar.
And I LOVE rose... not ashamed to admit that it is more often than not, my fave drink.
Thank you for the peek into your evening... a blog version of "Rear Window."
How unbelievable cute are you two!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh I cannot wait for warm summer evenings. Our weather just hasn't figured out how to get warm yet. You both look absolutely dashing! What an innovative idea.
ReplyDeletewhat a fun date!
ReplyDeleteWe have a terrace with our rental apartment: it's huge, with grey concrete tiles and it's overlooked by a lot of other apartments. But, we've bought an olive tree, fuchsia's, bamboo plants and a lot of other plants and now we sit there all the time on our relaxing lounge sofa! It's great!
ReplyDeleteThat is a very cute idea! It's just so New York! I love rose in summer. Yes it's a bit naff, but it's refreshing in the sun. x
ReplyDeleteI wish! Our neighborhood has a ton of break-ins via fire escape-accessible windows, so ours is pretty much barricaded. Our outdoor "dates" usually involve standing outside our building instead :)
ReplyDeleteoh, ellen, that sounds amazing!!!
ReplyDeleteYou two are darling!
ReplyDeleteOh what lengths parents go to to enjoy some alone time! Love this idea!
Xx
Lindsay @ Darling Clementine
thanks for these sweet comments:) rubee, i love your slang:)
ReplyDeletehaha, lindsay, you're so right.
ReplyDeleteCute idea! I'm lucky enough to have a backyard... but not so lucky to get to live in New York city!! I guess there are always trade-offs:)
ReplyDeletefun idea! thanks for sharing! you two are adorable.
ReplyDeleteHOW CUTE ARE YOU!!!???
ReplyDelete(Really like your blog, by the way! Greetings from Leiden, Holland)
ReplyDeletewe have a small back yard with an orange tree and garden. its nice in the summer, last night we sat out there with our good friends and had dessert, it was magical,.
ReplyDeleteThat is such a sweet idea and your polks dot skirt looks totally adorable on you, Joanna. Btw: Balazs and I have a balcony so during summertime we pretty much spend our evenings hanging around there, drinking wine and chatting away. xo
ReplyDeleteNow that's a true NYC date! Love your outfit! We're lucky enough to have a terrace overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge which we can't get enough of when the weather is nice.
ReplyDeleteWow..Can u guys get ANY COOLER thank that? :) Love the idea! :) I'm pretty lucky that i have a nice balcony and it's very relaxing to enjoy a glass of wine, good reading and/or a nice conversation!
ReplyDeleteGenius. And so romantic. When summer hits, I always feel like moving back to New York. This may have put me over the top.
ReplyDeletewhat an adorable date, such a cute idea. :)
ReplyDeleteLove the movie Rear Window! :)
ReplyDeleteEat Cake
My boyfriend just moved here from Brooklyn and never had a balcony or garden. Now we are living in Indiana and we have a big back patio, front porch, yard and garden for less than what he paid for his room in in BK. He's a pretty happy a camper these days! :) Sitting outside for drinks is my favorite thing about summer!I love your fire escape dates!
ReplyDeletein my midtown toronto apartment, fire escape drinks and dates are a common occurrence in the summertime. my guy and i like to make sangria and sip it out back. if im feeling romantic, i will bring out some tealight candles or sparklers for special occasions :)
ReplyDeleteI love it! My husband and I used to do that when we had a fire escape in St. Louis. It was the best place to open a bottle of rosé and watch those amazing midwestern storms blow in! We haven't had a fire escape since moving to Europe and we miss it. Fire escape dates are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteso sweet!
ReplyDeleteThis is sooo cute!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I have been feeling very blah after having our first baby 7 months ago (relationship wise), so we decided to finally spruce up our hot tub in our backyard and get it in working order. We hung white twinkle lights around the gazebo that the hot tub sits in and for the past 4 nights, after the baby is in bed, we go out to our little backyard oasis with, you guessed it, a bottle of rose! :)
LOVE IT!!! ive always thought a fire escape would be a fun spot to people watch and hang out on (if i lived in nyc), but never thought as a date night-- good on you two!!
ReplyDeleteLove this! Talk about making the most of what you've got! We have a small balcony off of our condo. We really should use it more. You just inspired me! Thanks for that! :)
ReplyDeleteXO,
Sara
www.SocialSara.net
We used to do that when we lived in NYC! We had a tiny apartment on West 107th and Broadway, but it will always be dear to my heart because of our fire escape memories -- picnics, big mason jars of Pimm's cup, and our sweet elderly Cuban neighbors engaged lively conversation downstairs. Good stuff.
ReplyDeleteI think it's very NYC of you :) I always picture New Yorkers spending time on their fire escapes. We have a balcony and I try to spend as much time out there as possible container gardening, reading, dining and drinking :)
ReplyDeleteVery inventive!
ReplyDeleteI live on a 10 acre horse farm, and my boyfriend's house has just shy of a half-acre, so no fire escape dates for us. We do enjoy dining outside...it really is the best! Glad you guys found a way to get out, too!
This reminds me of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" :) I love those photos of you both climbing in and out of the windows!
ReplyDeleteno fire escape for us, but i'm always eager to climb out onto my sister's! cheers to impromptu date nights and glasses of rosé! nothing says summer quite like it.
ReplyDeleteThat is hilarious...so innovative! We do love our front yard and rooftop deck but something about a fire escape makes it feel like you are breaking the rules. Reminds me of when my boyfriend in high school would sneak in my bedroom window by climbing up the garage roof on a ladder. My parents can't believe it now as they never heard me. LOL.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your secret dates.
xo
E
How creative and sweet! Another great summer wine I love is Moscato! So light and sweet tasting.
ReplyDeleteSO SO SO cute! I just wrote about this on my blog, how now that it's warm my husband and I put the kids to bed, freshen up a bit and then spend the evening on the patio having a cocktail or reading. It's so relaxing!
ReplyDeletehttp://goodlifeforless.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-outfit-summer-nights.html
i think my irrational fear of heights would inhibit me from doing this....but, in unrelated news, your skirt is adorable!
ReplyDeleteHow cute :) My other half and I like to spend time on our balconies (he has two at his apartment and I have one - given it is LA).
ReplyDeletexoxo,
mon amy
I live in queens and once saw a girl sitting on her fire-escape reading. And then I hear the couple in the apartment below us sitting on their fire-escape chatting at night. This is the final push I needed to have some wine w/ my hubby on ours! thanks :)
ReplyDeleteFire escapes make me think of Breakfast at Tiffany's. I love that you have a Rear Window-esque apartment view.. its so very New York :) You two look like a couple of kids sneeking out to drink and its so romantic :)
ReplyDeleteI've got a big backyard and a bit of a wraparound porch so you BET I spend my summery nights out there. Just last night one very sweet boy & I drank a couple beers together and watched shooting stars.
ReplyDeleteSo cute! And although I totally cracked up at RuBee's description of Rose wines (love the word naff), I think it can be really great! Have you had sparkling rose? Now that's yummy.
ReplyDeleteI'm in DC and my must-have was a place with outside space. I've got a little backyard that's half parking spot, half yard, but it's so nice to be able to have a small table and chairs and potted plants and twinkly lights!
you guys are so happy i love it
ReplyDeleteSuch a cute idea! I am also yearning for outdoor space. Random question: do you feel safe with a fire escape? I have always thought it must be very easy for burglars to get into flats with those stairs! Am I just being paranoid?
ReplyDeletewe have a shared small rooftop balcony with a couple of chairs - we need to get there early to make it our spots during summer evenings.
ReplyDeletecute idea! always finding ways to make it work ;)
ReplyDeletegreat post and great idea!
alissa b
http://alissab.us
what a perfect evening! we recently got an outdoor fire pit and have been having evening bon fire dates.
ReplyDeleteWhat a perfect solution. My bf and I have perfected the "porch date" where we enjoy drinks, good music, great conversation, and one another's company.
ReplyDeleteHey, Joanna,
ReplyDeleteDo you have any tips for apartment hunting in the city? I'm moving there for grad school soon and I've loved your previous guides to NYC.
Oh this is just perfection! I actually live in a converted attic so my front "porch" is actually the roof of my landlord's garage. it's great though because it's this big flat space (the size of their whole garage!) that I can sprawl out on whether it's laying out to tan or having a picnic!
ReplyDeleteGreat blog! Would u like to follow each other?http://ladeadellapparenza.blogspot.it
ReplyDeleteThat is so terribly cute and so very NYC. I imagine you telling an adult Toby the story of how you snuck out for dates while he was asleep :)
ReplyDeleteI've always been a utilizer of stoops during my years of city-living. Now in the mountains I'm always out on the deck! Luxury!
That does sound like fun. My hubby and I have created our own indoor date night too:) We live in BK and we take time to enjoy each others company when the little ones are asleep.
ReplyDeleteHa, I love this! Very inventive. And I love how you dress up to make it more special. I dream of one day having an actual backyard, but in the meantime my husband, baby and I live in a small condo with a balcony in Chicago. You've inspired me to designate a 'date night' on our balcony when our little guy goes to bed. Great idea!
ReplyDeleteRose is actually a perfect accompaniment to bbq and roast chicken... don't be ashamed to drink it!
ReplyDeleteWe're lucky and have quite a big garden, and it's great to get outside in the warm weather. I'm jealous of your fire escape though! :)
ReplyDeleteWe do have a large yard (a major work-in-progress though!), and we love spending evenings out our patio, sipping margaritas, and watching our garden grow. It makes me feel happy and less wistful for what I may be missing by not leading a big-city life. That said, I LOVE your creative outdoor "date spot." Just so sweet. :)
ReplyDeleteYour skirt is stunning, and beautiful with the simple white tshirt! I'm lucky and have a garden, but because I live a little way outside the centre of London, I take it for granted as nearly everyone has one. It must be so different if you're in the middle of a city!
ReplyDeletewww.styleisalwaysfashionable.blogspot.com
Waahh! I love it! I live in San Francisco. We don't have a balcony, but we do live right on Dolores Park. On nice evenings, we go to the top of the park on our favorite bench and share a drink while overlooking the city. I love those spontaneous eve's.
ReplyDeleteI love your green phone case. I'm apparently color-blind because I thought my phone case was that color when I bought it - but when I got home it was yellow. Hmmm... it's growing on me, but I still like yours better. :)
ReplyDeletethat looks so fun! i love your outfit. i am currently between apartments (about to move and living with a friend right now.) my sweetie and i lived in a little studio with no balcony, but we lived right next to a great park with lots of trails and fields and a lake. we liked to go walk through there, name and feed the ducks, and sometimes picnic. : )
ReplyDeleteI love how innovative you guys are as a couple. Very sweet. Your husband really is a good sport :)
ReplyDeleteShruti
shruti-k.blogspot.com
Yes! In London I have a very New York-esque fire escape on one side that leads down t o our communal garden/barbeque area and a balcony on the other that overlooks the local skate park. The balcony garden is well underway and we're always hanging out with our neighbours on the fire escape. Just lush
ReplyDeleteOh my roommate and I used to hang out on our fire escape and drink and watch people go by in Astoria. Now I have a backyard with a porch and hammock.. more maintenance but worth it to me! You guys look so cute.
ReplyDeleteLove this! and rose. I also live in a teeny one bedroom apartment (in St. Louis) and have no outdoor space. We spend a lot more time at parks as a result of it, but we're thinking of moving to a different neighborhood where balconies are standard (it's old and french). I wish we had a fire escape though! Love your skirt too - if I wasn't on a fiancé imposed "shopping ban" it would be mine!
ReplyDeleteYou guys are adorable!!! I love that idea! We don't have a fire escape in LA but we do sneak out on our front stoop to have a drink now and then:)
ReplyDeleteKate
www.365til30.com
You two are the cutest. I love that you not only go out on your fire escape, but you get dressed up to do so as well!
ReplyDeleteI have a patio at my condo. I love being outside and while I sit out there often (I post pictures doing so on my blog often!), my hubby and I don't go out there together enough. I think you have inspired me to eat dinner outside tonight!
We're huge advocates of this.
ReplyDeletehttp://smithratliff.com/2011/06/30/greenmarket-cocktails-take-two/17-7/
My husband and I have a house in a suburb of Milwaukee, WI with a GORGEOUS backyard (the backyard is the reason we bought this house in the first place) and we spend every gorgeous summer night drinking beer on our patio, looking at all the plants I have managed to kill. :)
ReplyDeleteThat is so much fun! Three cheers for thinking of it! (P.S. You two are such a fun couple. I'm still single but when I do get married, I hope my marriage is as awesome as yours seems to be!)
ReplyDeleteThis is SO Sweet! Way to make lemonade out of lemons, you guys! These are the kinds of moments you'll remember and smile about for years to come. =)
ReplyDeleteI am very fortunate to live in a building with a courtyard. I have a ground floor townhouse with a terrace. I grow boxwoods and, in the summer, geraniums, basil and japanese indigo. It's quite social and neighbours are always milling close by. I live in a ridiculously safe city though!
ReplyDeleteso sweet, i remember those nyc nights :)
ReplyDeletei now have a porch that i just adore, it's the best for a glass of wine at the end of a day. here are some photos of it:
http://sageisland.blogspot.com/2011/11/photographs-from-porch.html
xo
I love this post! It's so romantic and fun to sit out on a fire escape. Every time I've had one, I never taken advantage. Now I have a tiny SF backyard that is basically just wooden stairs and an alley, and I've still only sat out there once or twice!
ReplyDeletehttp://meikoandgabby.tumblr.com/post/22760826304/cheers-pink-champagne-in-my-backyard-with-the
That's such a good idea to get dressed up for it. I'm a victim to comfy pajamas and need to nix that habit for the bf.
ReplyDeleteWe moved into our apartment 6 months ago and are just starting to enjoy our amazing patio. Just this past weekend I took a luscious glass of rose out there and absolutely enjoyed it!
You can check out the picture from our patio here : http://pic.twitter.com/XH8lNCQa
Thanks for the great idea for evening summer nights!
-Michelle
www.m-liveloudly.blogspot.com
AH!! The fire escape reminded me of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffanys.
ReplyDeleteVery fun!! We have a garden but we're in Columbus, Ohio so we don't have the cool NYC. My friends and I had margaritas and I lit the tiki torches after Cougar Town yesterday. The restaurants you have are making me drool right now. And Madonna in September...I hope to get there for that concert!
ReplyDeleteI love this "date night" idea. And your outfit is so cute! My husband and I have a back deck surrounded by crepe myrtle trees. It's amazingly private in the spring and summer when the trees have blossomed. My summertime goal is to add potted plants, flowers and herbs to give it more life. Right now, it's kind of "rustic." ;)
ReplyDeleteThis is the stuff we New Zealanders only get to see in movies! Such a cute date.
ReplyDeleteAs many New Zealanders do, we have a garden with sandpit and treehouse for the girls out back, and at the front my aviary of budgies and quails and also the classic kiwi playtoy, a tyre swing (literally a car tyre refashioned) suspended on a rope from an oak tree limb above.
I have got 6 acres of grass and gardened goodness now, BUT when I lived in Brooklyn Heights my husband and I used to do this a lot. I also went out on it to read by myself a lot. Felt like a private treehouse!
ReplyDeleteAw how cute, this is such a lovely idea! Oh and I adore your polka dot skirt! x
ReplyDeleteKate {Something Fabulous}
http://thesomethingfabulous.blogspot.com
This is such a cute idea, you guys are adorable!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great reminder that some of the best things are always closest to home. Makes me feel guilty for putting down our tiny courtyard garden here.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.randomlyhappytoday.blogspot.co.uk
I love that you two have found your own space like that. When I lived in Leipzig (Germany), some of the students who lived in the same apartment building would climb out onto the framework that was put up while the building's exterior was being remodeled. I thought that was a great idea, but sadly, my side of the building wasn't being remodeled.
ReplyDeleteFun idea!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds very fun! We have a balcony, but never hang out on it... Maybe next time!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a cute idea! :) I love your blog! :)
ReplyDeleteaww too cute! We have a yard, and this is the first summer we will really be taking advantage of it for relaxing. In the past, we just did the yard work and that was it. Now that we have kids, and one is old enough to want to go out and play, we got a wading pool, two lawn chairs for us, and are trying to make it look nice haha. I want to get a grill once I find a sale. The yard is partly torn up, we are trying to put in a driveway, but once that is done, I have plans for some flower beds and a veggie garden :)
ReplyDeletewww.revitalizewithstefania.blogspot.com
my old roommate and i used to hang out on our fire escape in the summer... its lovely.
ReplyDeletespeaking of cute dates... thank you so much for posting your SailBoat date... i sent the post to my boyfriend as a hint (not very subtle)because i had been dying to try it.. plus i love all things preppy and nautical... he booked a day sail last weekend (when it was 75 degrees and sunny!) along with an amazing brunch at NorthEnd grill. Hes always planning amazing things for me but it definitely helps to give him some inspirations sometimes. THANKS AGAIN!!!
So cute!! ;D
ReplyDeleteThat's so cute haha. We have a balcony... but we are so many floors up it's crazy windy. I do this we should use it more often, though... but I am petrified of heights.
ReplyDeletelove this idea! it actually looks like you guys had a night out and i love that you can hear the sounds of the city and nearby restaurant. my husband and i feel a bit cooped up when our daughter goes to bed too. you've inspired me to clean up our balcony a bit and put it into use!
ReplyDeleteI love rose in the summer! Such a cute outfit too- where's your white t-shirt from?
ReplyDeleteWe have a teeny tiny house, but a beautiful garden. We bought our house, because of how much we loved our garden. One day you will have one.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a fun idea!
ReplyDeleteSo lovely. And so New York. You need one of these, Jo:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Rothco-4584-Black-Collapsible-Stool/dp/B001CWCMLU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338403460&sr=8-1
If I had to stand, even for half the "date," I'd end up cranky, in spite of the romance. And when it's not in use, you can just stash it behind the wardrobe or under the bed by the window.
xox
nights out on the balcony are my favourites! even in winter, just wrap yourselves up and take some mulled wine with you :)
ReplyDeleteAs much as I love and miss NY (I grew up in Manhattan), this is one of the many reasons why I'm glad I made the move to DC! My fiance and I live in a good sized apartment right in the thick of things but we still have our own private rooftop garden space. Perfect for cold drinks on hot summer nights... or ok, that's most nights in DC for about a 9 month stretch.
ReplyDelete-Carol S
We have a huge yard and have a hammock strung between two trees that we share. Love it! ALSO love your polka dot skirt!
ReplyDeleteSo fun! I love hanging out on my fire escape. As for rose, our friend Catherine of "Grapes of Cath" (great name, right!) just did a whole guest post for us on rose. Makes me thirsty!
ReplyDeletehttp://sisterdisco.com/2012/05/02/homie-of-the-day-catherine-from-grapes-of-cath/
love this post. the first picture of alex cracks me up.
ReplyDeleteScreened in porch, so no mosquito issues...and we use it as often as we can. It's viable about 8.5 mos each year (two months are too cold, and the other 1.5 are too hot despite the shade). :)
ReplyDeleteyou are so lucky that you live in NYC!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could visit and stay there foreveeeer:):)
lucky giiirl:)
greetings from Greece:)
http://xouxounitsa.blogspot.com
It all sounds incredibly romantic! it even sounds like a nice place to escape to when you want a moment alone. Love your skirt!
ReplyDeleteThat is just the sweetest thing! I love your Madwell polka dot skirt! I love my terrace on warm summer nights-it becomes a main living area in the summer!
ReplyDeleteFunny thing, we have a huge garden (and happy hour in the garden is a favourite pastime), but I am so jealous of your fire escape perch! It looks just awesome and so very NYC! Here's our patch, if you are curious...
ReplyDeletehttp://everydayeden.com/?p=477
I can't believe you didn't think of it before! Very romantic. We're lucky to have a garden complete a nest of blackbirds chirping. We have to keep vigil lately to stop the neighbour's cat from pouncing for the kill. A perfect excuse to sit out with a glass of wine in the evening sun!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, I am now addicted to Beso.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.beso.com/my/collections/69f49889-497c-401a-b1e3-42933c89a27b
Great date night idea! I wish we had a way to do this.
ReplyDeleteWe have a huge deck and yard, but because we live in the Pacific Northwest the weather doesn't let us use it very often, or at least not very enjoyably. We're hoping to add a roof to one portion so we can snuggle out there no matter the weather :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder to use it though! Your fire escape dates look so fun :)
Are you sure it's legal to hang out on the fire escape?
ReplyDeletewhat a cute idea!
ReplyDeleteover the 2+ years we have been at our current rental house, we have put in a big ol' garden (with our landladies' blessings!) for growing food and all kinds of flowers. Plus, our back yard is flanked on two sides by tall stands of fir and hemlock, so it basically feels like we live in the woods; I love watching the last of each day's sunlight catching in the treetops.
I love that. That's what my ex and I used to do in SF. We'd climb out onto this stoop outside our apartment right by eucalyptus trees and bring wine. It was wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea, and adorable post. You mentioned before that Alex is terribly afraid of heights... is it scary to be up high like that? I am nervous of heights as well.
ReplyDeleteWe have just a tiny patio, with no furniture yet, but I am inspired to use it anyway and just put a blanket down, some lights up, and bring a bottle of rose wine outside in the summer evenings.
How I miss that NYC-sound... a lovely idea! Best greetings from Vienna (its so quiet here, too quiet)
ReplyDeleteMailis
This is great!
ReplyDeleteLove it! We did this the other night after out baby went to sleep, in our front yard, where we have a glider bench. We had gin and tonics. Next time I will consider dressing up... or even getting dressed! I was in my jammies:)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE YOUR SKIRT!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, the apartment I live in has a nice front porch with tables and chairs, it's far back from the road, and we're surrounded by bushes and trees and flowers, so even though the neighborhood is not very private or quiet, I feel like I'm in my own haven when I sit out there. One of my favorite things to do is to sit out there and read.
:)
a wise middle aged couple who I want to be like when I grow up (just gotta meet the right hubby) got me hooked on rosé, on patios, on summer evenings. it's the best!
ReplyDeleteI love this cute idea you guys are the cutest!
ReplyDeleteI have a garden(!) and am currently enjoying the balmy evenings with also rosé (i like white zinfandel) and a good book- current read is Birdsong and is sad but fabulous! X
this is adorable! such a sweet little date spot ;)
ReplyDeleteThis is so darling! I hope one day to have sweet quirky traditions such as this. I live in California where there is a lot of room so most everyone has a place to step outside. It's something I should take more advantage of -- or appreciate more. I must say though, this post totally warmed my heart.
ReplyDeleteAwww, such a cute little idea. I hope you continue this for years to come.
ReplyDeleteOh fire escape drinks... they have a special place in my heart. When I first moved to the city in 2003, my boyfriend at the time lived in a loft with huge fire escapes that overlooked the Tribeca Grand Hotel. They had special oversized pillows that lived out there and it was one of our favorite places to sit and people watch. Memories!
ReplyDeleteWe have a big front yard... and a back yard with a patio, table to seat 12 and bbq. but... maintaining it takes a lot of time. sometimes i long to live in an apartment! but this is australia, and you have to have a house in the suburbs with a backyard, right? plus, then we couldn't have our adorably gorgeous golden retriver :)
ReplyDeleteSo cute! We have a front yard. It's small and on a main street. We have a table and chair for it but we keep it in the shed and have yet to bring it out and use it this spring / summer. We really should take advantage of it more!
ReplyDeleteYou guys are so adorable...made me feel bad for taking our backyard (ahem 4 acres) here in Oz for granted. xxx
ReplyDeleteJoanna this was really cute. I love when you share more personal things like this. Looks fun and romantic!
ReplyDeleteseriously you're adorable! we don't have any green space either since we live downtown also. And our small balcony looks onto a construction site where a new tower is coming in. So we don't get to go outside for dates much.
ReplyDeletebut this reminds me of my old apt with my university roommate...we used our fire escape the exact same way and it was lovely.
Painting the trim green in your bedroom? Why you clever girl. :)
ReplyDeletethis is too sweet!!! while we have a large yard with a two tier deck, i dream of living in the city and hearing the noise all night long. grass is always greener, huh? :)
ReplyDeletea peek of chic
What a cute idea. It just shows that a getaway is sometimes a state of mind rather than a place.
ReplyDeleteI had rose at a party recently. It wasn't the seet variety I remember from college. It was much drier and more sophisticated. I loved it!
ReplyDeleteI have to give you mad props for mentioning Rear Window. When I was living in the West Village, I would look out my back window and always think about that movie...(And oh, to have Grace Kelly's wardrope!)
ReplyDeletethis looks amazing!!! my nyc apartment does not have a fire escape and i'm on the 10th floor so if there ever is a fire....i don't know what i would do haha.
ReplyDeletexoxox
It's all about these little snippets and moments that you seize in your life! Good for you guys.
ReplyDeleteMove out here to Brooklyn! You can have a backyard!
ReplyDeleteI am totally buying that skirt. Like right now. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteVery neat date night idea, we used to sit on our roof in the city when the kids went to bed...you could get to it through our daughter's bedroom window. Now we have more than enough fields to walk through ..it's heavenly. although not a restaurant for miles
ReplyDeleteLove this post! I can definitely relate. When I lived on the UES, I had a fire escape and a stoop. I often perched on the fire escape with a cup of coffee and watched people pass below. Now I have a balcony, but I almost prefer the fire escape. I felt closer to the ground and to the people. Thanks for writing on this uniquely New York topic :)
ReplyDeleteBest,
Jenny
www.shtnewyorkersdo.blogspot.com
Two weeks ago my husband and I had the same lightbulb moment. I am such a front porch/patio girl, so it's been killing me that our current 100 year old apartment has nothing of the sort.... but we do have a fire escape! So far we've done sunny morning coffee dates out there. I like the date night idea. We'll have to try that :)
ReplyDeleteThis summer we drank a lot of Rose , a great wine for very hot climates. We went Spanish and added lots of ice.A few years ago my daughter was in New York for University and had a great apartment in the West Village where she sat out on the fire escape with her dinner and a glass of wine. A great New York moment.
ReplyDeleteShelley Perth Western Australia
We had drinks on the balcony tonight after my husband got home from work! A beer for him, a glass of rose for me. A little outdoors time makes everything better!
ReplyDeleteDate night on a fire escape sounds like an amazing idea and in heels too. Well executed.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! My partner and I sometimes have date nights on our balcony :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in San Francisco we hung out on out roof a lot. We did have a fire escape and on Halloween we would dress it up and yell at all the kids to come over and we would lower down candy from our 2nd floor apartment. All the kids loved it! But to be honest I think we enjoyed it the most. :)
ReplyDeleteThere are moments when my DH and I are sitting out under the only tree on our back-40, we hear the wind, smell the fresh air and time stops for a moment....Judith, Texas
ReplyDeleteIsn't it fun when you discover nice little things that have been there all the time but you haven't noticed?
ReplyDeleteWe have a balcony but since it rains aaaaaaall the time, we can barely hang out there :-(
nice and good photos:)
ReplyDeleteYou look so beautiful in these photos.
ReplyDeleteohhh sweet. We have a balcony a garden and a terrace.. it's great. I would die without it. So we eat and drink coffee and everything outside...and evenings are pure magic...even in December we sit out bundled up in blankets ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat idea and you guys are such a happy, lovely couple :)
ReplyDeleteLove this post! And rose as well:)
ReplyDeleteLovely idea!
ReplyDeleteWe do have a large garden however it's facing north and is surrounded by large trees so it doesn't really get much sun.
We therefore started having bbq on our stoop:
http://instagr.am/p/ImhN-SRr3T/
Ana x
This totally made my heart melt. Oh and by the way the swedish hasbeen sandals look great on you!
ReplyDeleteYou're so cool. Muchos love for your date nights :)
ReplyDeletepeaas.blogspot.com
x
This is ADORABLE! What a great way to make the very most of your space. Happy to see that you're enjoying summer!
ReplyDeleteHow fun! I also have a polka dot skirt and I love it (mine is H&M, which suits my bugdet)
ReplyDeleteWe have a big apartment and a balcony, but there's something about it (facing the main street, having no privacy at all) that makes us just want to use it when we need to water the plants.
ReplyDeleteWe have been using the fire escape stairs for the past 2 years - they face several internal patios that belong only to the ground floor and all other buildings in our quarter. We use it to sip a martini before dinner or to smoke a cigarette after it - the funny thing is, around 11pm, there are lots of other couples doing exactly the same thing - it must be when the house quiets down. We know it, only because we see the odd orange tip lighting somewhere in the neighborhood :))
How fun! Before we bought our home my Frenchie husband and I used to do the same thing....it's the sign of summer when you switch from champagne to rose! whoohoo!
ReplyDeleteHow romantic and fun idea. Every marriage Need this kind of escapes once in a while. :)
ReplyDeleteGreetings.
This is such a great idea! I have a garden, but this actually looks like more fun!
ReplyDeletexx
Isabelle
http://www.allgoodthingstoday.com/
This is such an adorable idea. We have an old queen anne victorian cottage in LA with a nice big backyard and even a sunroom and yet, we don't go outside for some one on one time nearly enough. I'm also the biggest advocate of rose. I'm pregnant right now, so this means I'll have to wait until next summer to indulge in my summertime rose :)
ReplyDeleteLovely pictures, Joanna! My husband and I are blessed with a rooftop deck that still makes us swoon on warm summer nights. This past weekend we put our planters out, so it now has a few bright flowers, a mini potted herb garden, and room enough for two chaise lounges and a small cocktail table. One of our favorite things to do is head up there after our daughter goes to bed--which is why your post resonated so much! We take in the sunset and sip wine. We also take time to recognize how lucky we are to have this space and our family...that tiny moment of gratitude reminds us to enjoy everything in life we are blessed with.
ReplyDeleteThat's our favorite rose to drink right now!!
ReplyDeletesuch a cute and romantic idea! living in the city! <3
ReplyDeletei LOVE it & rose is the perfect summer drink!
Great idea! And I love rosé!
ReplyDeletehaha if my fire escape wasn't so filled with tomato plants, mint plants, and our charcoal grill (shhhh! don't tell!) we could totally do this too ;)
ReplyDeletethis made me happy! my husband and i shared our first kiss and first i love yous on our fire escape in NYC. Memories!
ReplyDeleteLove It! I used to live in a 6th floor walk up in the East Village and we used to call the fire escape "the lanai". Perfect for sipping Rose, looking at the Empire State Building, and watching the naked vaccumer five floors up across the street (!). It was definitely the most romantic place in the apartment. Now we are over-the-moon lucky enough to have a whole garden in Brooklyn, but, alas no naked vacuum lady (who knew I'd miss her?!). Thank you for bringing back those memories!
ReplyDeletehahaha this is so clever and relaxing. We have a patio, but sometimes, we just want to see people, so we go outside with our wine glasses and sit on the steps. (we live on walk "down" instead of a walk up.
ReplyDeleteWe are lucky to have a garden (close to the city of Bergen, Norway) that I love. Check it out if you want: http://hei-astrid.blogspot.com/search/label/my%20garden
ReplyDeleteBut I absolutely love this idea of a fire escape date. To me it feels so New York.
While I'm at it; I'm mostly a luker around here, but now I want to tell you that I love what you are doing with this blog. Please keep it up!
you guys are so sweet!
ReplyDeleteand of course we drink rose - delich!
Testing 1,2,3 hello hello! can you read me??? omg, i did write a post and it was so nice! oook here we go again (sorry, im new at this things!)
ReplyDeleteThis is super cute! I love it. I love your blog and think Toby is the cutest. I have a little boy too who is about to turn one so I love hearing about your parenthood adventures and tips. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHow cute! We drink rose as well, mostly because I love the color!
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ReplyDeleteI used to do this on our fire escape in Vancouver with my former boyfriend, and I remember the fire escape so fondly - it really is an "escape" :) Enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI have a balcony but only go out when checking the weather :)
ReplyDeletevery nice. i like it dude.
ReplyDeleteWhat a marvelous idea! We have a fire escape with both park view and city view, will definitely try this before summer ends!
ReplyDeleteWe do the same! It's such a thrill, and you pictures made me laugh because that's pretty much exactly how I look trying to climb myself in and out. Turn on some music inside the apartment and bring a couple candles!
ReplyDeleteIt's a really cute idea, but if I were your neighbor I might not like you if you had these dates too late. Sound travels in New York and I hate the teenagers who hang out on the steps all night. I'd certainly have an issue with a next door neighbor having a date right next to my bedroom window.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh! That's so funny. How cute, and kind of sneaky feeling! Do you ever feel like 2 wayward teenagers sneaking out at night? To drink your parents' booze? :P I love that. I love our deck, but I would never think to appreciate it the way you do your outdoor escapades.
ReplyDeletexoxo
Emily
emilyannestyle.com
Oh, great idea! Lovely outdoor drinks to you! :)
ReplyDeleteThat's great ! Here in Paris, we have a sort of fire escape (called "escalier de service" in French), but it's a little larger than yours and we managed to put a little table and 2 chairs and flowers and it's perfect in summer.
ReplyDeletei love that, but please be super careful! fire escapes are old and aren't really meant to be hang out spots, even though they are just begging for it in new york city! i know of a girl from nyu who was out on a fire escape with too many people and the landing gave under the weight and she is in a wheelchair for life. i don't mean to be alarmist but it's scary stuff! make sure your fire escape is up to code and safe before you try this, new yorkers!
ReplyDeleteTo me, a fire escape is *magical*. We don't have any outdoor space. None at all. Somebody sold our back garden decades ago and it was turned into a cinema - which has its good points, but not if you want to hang out in it and talk.
ReplyDeleteAnd rose? Yes. It's the perfect compromise.
you guys are so cute, you gotta live in the moment. making the best life has to offer is what it is all about.
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit late to this post, but I have to say I sit on my fire escape almost every day. In other apartments (with cooler landlords) I've also had whole farms on them. I wonder all the time why more people don't do it. It's the perfect place for coffee in the morning, drinks at night or the best thing is to invest in a few cushions from IKEA and get yourself set up with a little reading nook for some sunday afternoon relaxing....
ReplyDeletethis is too cute!
ReplyDeleteBloody Marys on my fire escape are a summer staple of mine! Luckily, my busy LES street is prime for people watching! (And neighbor spying - not that I would know...)
ReplyDeleteI love this...it brings back so many great, crazy memories. The day I moved in to my first apartment in NY, my dad bought me a little Smokey Joe Weber grill for my fire escape. My now-husband had one too and would sit in his favorite leather chair and grill through the window.
ReplyDeleteIn our last apartment in the city, we climbed over the bed to get to the fire escape. Bourbon for him and wine for me in hand, with a plate of steaks to cook! I love your idea of dressing up too!
I have to say, I love my deck now but I know the fire escape adventures make me appreciate our backyard so much more!
What a great idea! I love going out on my fire escape and taking photos. My boyfriend is afraid to sit out there with me. He didn't even want to put plants out on ours, he thinks it'll fall down. We have such a fantastic view of Central Park, it would make a lovely place to have an afternoon cocktail!
ReplyDeleteMy first apartment in the city had a long fire escape- spanning the front of the building. My roommate used to put down a beach towel to lay out and get some sun!
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