My new New York apartment has an 'outdoor space,' and by that I mean one of my windows opens onto a fire escape. While I'm perfectly happy with that — it's just the right size for watching the sun set and sipping a beer, or maybe even growing tomatoes (!) when the weather gets warm enough — I still get a twinge of jealousy when I see apartments with actual balconies, or even entire rooftops. There's something about being in the city yet still being surrounded by greenery that's so appealing.