How to access the Loop and display your posts, from outside of Wordpress.

outside-the-loop.php

<ul>
<?php 
	require($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] . '/wordpress/wp-load.php'); 
	$args = array(
		// 'cat' => 3, // Only source posts from a specific category
		'posts_per_page' => 2 // Specify how many posts you'd like to display
	);
	$latest_posts = new WP_Query( $args ); 	
	if ( $latest_posts->have_posts() ) {
		while ( $latest_posts->have_posts() ) {
			$latest_posts->the_post(); ?>
	<li>
    	<a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>" title="<?php the_title(); ?>"> 
	<?php if ( has_post_thumbnail() ) { ?>
			<span class="post_thumbnail"><?php the_post_thumbnail(); ?></span>
	<?php } ?>
			<span class="post_title"><?php the_title(); ?></span>
		</a>
		<span class="post_time">Posted on <?php the_time('l jS F, Y') ?></span>
		<?php the_excerpt(); ?>
	</li>	
<? } 
		} else {
		echo '<p>There are no posts available</p>';
	}
	wp_reset_postdata();
?>
</ul>