Problem with Outdoor Space

Rooftop open space in a neighboring buidling

There are a lot of Apartment / condos with out-door space that is common. Our condo has some too. The problem with this is two fold:
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1. It is usually impossible to bar-b-que on it. Yes, I get it "Fire, BAD" - but that is 9/10s of the fun out outside.
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2. It is not close to you. If you live in a house, you open the door - voila, outside!
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 But here, you open the door, wait for the elevator, get to the right floor, make it pass the security system that keeps the riff-raff from outside, get to a lounger (if one is open) and open your soda.
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 Darn, you forgot your soda - do the whole thing in reverse.
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 And, remember every time you go in and out of your apartment the dog wants to go too, but he can't go because it is a common area.
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Don't even get me started on "common areas" where the dogs can't go, but cheerio throwing children can with the Chinese Grandmothers that scream into a cell phone - or the Jamaican Nannies that are annoyed you are in their territory.
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And you can't go out looking like death, right? I mean you want to at least shower, so "outside" is now a chore AND not everyone is as serious about showers as you are - let's just put it that way.