She writes: I just thought I would send you some pics from a recent outdoor dinner party my boyfriend and I had in Chicago. We wanted to have some friends over for a party but realized that the inside of the apartment would probably just be too hot and cramped, so we decided to head outside. We set our tables up in the walkway behind the apartment building, and even used a high tree planter to create a wine and cheese bar. The brick walls and the city were the perfect background for our party and there was a lovely breeze. Everyone loved it. Just wanted to share. Thanks for all the great posts.
Thanks for the inspiration, Brittany!
Small Cool Lessons: Discovering Small Space Design Ideas That Really Work
Marisa and Peter's Playfully Eclectic Home
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Z2 iPod Dock and Wi...
How To Cook Fluffy, Tasty Quinoa
How to Make Fresh Pasta Dough in the Food Processor
Great job, I bet everyone had a blast. :)
love it!
Looks like so much fun! Cute tablecloth too.
cute, but the table is set wrong. knives on the right...
Glad to hear you didn't let the size of your place or the heat deter you from throwing a party! The table looks great and pooh pooh to the "looks too gritty", "table is set wrong" remarks. It's a party in a walkway people, jeez! I'll bet everyone had a blast and appreciated the inventive flair of your get-together. The mood lighting and wine surely made any grit and place setting issues completely trivial to the good time had by all. That's what it's about!
As I was there, Luckypeach, i can tell you it was an extremely clean set up. While the appetizers and drinks were set out on planters, they had trays underneath them, and measures were taken to keep pests away. Wasn't gritty at all.
Thanks for all the nice comments! It was a lot of fun.
As for the grittiness, well, it was a party outside so I guess there's only so much you can do. But we put all the food on plates and then on trays, plus we kept everything covered when it wasn't being served so no bugs or outdoor debris would blow on it. No dirtier than any picnic or camp meal. We didn't have any complaints.
Also, to everyone who liked the tablecloth, I made it from a few yards of fabric I found at Hobby Lobby. Completely unexpected find because usually fabric there is slim pickings, but I just happened to see it and think it was really pretty. Total stroke of luck.
Love it! Now I wish I had a workable walkway in my own apartment complex.
It looks great! Very pretty set up...who cares if the forks "are on the wrong side" do people still notice that stuff even?
Did the other people in the apartment mind that you were doing it outside (or were they invited?)
I guess some of us still notice where the silverware goes, yes, or it wouldn't have been mentioned. But I don't care if other people set the table however they want. However, the layout isn't arbitrary. The reason the knife goes on the right side is bec. most right handed people use the knife in the right hand. In most countries people don't switch over the fork from the left hand the way a lot of Americans do so the fork goes on the left. The right hand is where the spoon goes, again for the right handed. It's all prejudiced in favor of the right handed, yes, it's true.
@Charolette
The other people in the apt. building notified of the party, and we were all told "Cool! Be as loud as you want!" people use that area for bbq's all the time, so it's all good.
That's crazy on the lay out! As a right handed person (though slightly ambidextrous as a child) I've always used the fork in the right hand, as it's more stable, to steady the meat as I cut with the left hand. Never knew that's why the set up was what it was, but nobody at the party seemed to mind. :)