We feel like Sunday nights in June usually go something like this. You’re on an evening walk or jog around the neighborhood when you catch a glimpse of a flickering lantern in the backyard of the house on the corner. There’s a curl of smoke coming out of the grill, carrying with it the scent of shrimp kebabs. You hear ice clinking in glasses and the quiet murmur of talking from a couple of couples in striped chairs and an occasional burst of laughter. These people, you think, are taking full advantage of living outdoors.
What is it about these outdoor spaces that make you feel like you're part of some exclusive club when you're in and something you desperately want to crash when you're out? No hummus plate is as delicious as when you're eating it curled up on a back patio couch surrounded by bright throw pillows. Ah, to snag a bite of your BLTA before taking the two steps back to the lawn for your turn in corn hole. Is there a better place to watch those summer thunderstorms roll in and through than your own porch?
We don’t think so, and MDG’s own Marlena Ortiz has contributed some of her favorite essentials to create her perfect outdoor living space.
