Joanne Rossman- Purveyor of the Unnecessary & the Irresistible

09/08/2026

The store reopens Wednesday, Sept 9th! Momo is gathering her inner shopkeeper and will be in her finest frock.
STORE HOURS:
Wed-Fri: 11-5
Saturdays: 10-4
Sunday: 12-3
Drop in to say hello to us both. We can't wait to hear about your summer adventures!

Drop in to see an irresistible, eclectic selection of gifts for all occasions!

09/02/2026

Joanne Rossman Store Reopening: Wed, Sept 7th!
Store Hours:
Wed-Fri: 11-5
Saturdays: 10-4
Sunday: 12-3

09/02/2026

My favorite, and only grandson, is off to Morocco. A semester of Arabic to be studied. He heads out today to an amazing country. In truth one of my favorite places, ever, to travel. I admit, I haven’t been to Morocco for some years. I went twice, two years in a row, with my friend John. This gem of a human being is a student at Colby, a master of the French language and now Arabic. His aim is officer training and the Marines. This from his arch, pacifist, granny. Of course I adore him, his dedication and his fine mind. My wish for Reeve is the best in life, I wish a world of peace for each of us.

On my way home from bidding him off, I drove past the park bench where, once twenty plus years ago, I pulled his stroller to the side of the bench, there were grand old trees over head, beautiful mowed grass, a sweet paved path, a napping little boy, in a stroller and a grandmother who stretched out in that bench and nodded off, in the shade of a patient and kind time. We both had a nap. No one took the child or woke the granny. That memory remains one of my favorites. And this child/man is also a favorite

08/14/2026

Where do you take a chic, dear friend, who has traveled the world? Especially after a stay with John and Stephen in Provincetown! You head to Ron's Gourmet Ice Cream in Hyde Park with its superb collection of flavors, it’s candle-pin bowling alleys and the treasure of fans who love Ron’s. Jeanette loved the joint. Who doesn’t?

Jeanette left this evening back to England. She was with me when my cast was removed, she sat in on my first OT session, took notes and carried the pile of paper work for me. Then off to Volante Farms for the fixins’ for dinner. Fresh corn for Spicy Corn and Coconut soup (NY Times), the first of the seasons shell beans. Once shelled, I cook in water with bay leaves, fresh thyme and a few pepper corns. When close to tender, I drain the beans then sauté in olive oil with sliced garlic, sliced shallots, pinch of hot pepper flakes, more thyme leaves. Salt and pepper more olive oil if needed. Once the beans are slightly crusty I add chopped tomatoes, chopped parsley and zest of two lemons. Serve those beans with a lemon wedge. After coming home from John and Stephen’s cooking one has to pray to the kitchen gods for a decent meal to serve a dear guest I see only once a year.

The house is quiet, it’s that sense of longing where I wish to repeat the whole week in Provincetown. Nonsense, my better self says, get to those exercises the OT therapist gave you. It’s only mid August and there will be a visit tomorrow with Visher Ferry General Store and Louise who happens to be in town. Soon I have my session with Legends at Fit to Function Recovery and there are dental appointments and books to read and Saturdays to open the store. My dance card is filling up rapidly. Stay upright darlings and be kind.

08/10/2026

Well my loves, this is it! Just when I assume life goes on forever, it changes. Could it become boring if all I did was eat superb meals, surrounded by dear friends, hunkered down in a dreamy home filled with treasures from France and England and birds nests found along side a trail in the woods? All specimens of a life lived well. A lucky life and one we must all cherish

08/03/2026

The store will be open on SATURDAYS ONLY in August. You can catch me there from 10am - 4pm.

Have a grand August. Do some swimming, maybe even a bit of n**e bathing in your neighbors above ground pool. Read a book or two, have that couple you rarely see over for dinner. Donate summer time and money to your favorite rescue shelter. Adopt a senior dog or a senior citizen, either would love your company. Take in a matinee, sit in that cool, dark, movie theater with a box of buttered popcorn and think of how lucky you are. Take a roadtrip to a farm stand for ears of local sweet corn. Husk those babies, steam four ears of that corn and eat with copious amount of butter. Whatever you might do with your August, remember to be kind to yourselves and others. And in between, pop by the store on Saturdays and tell me all about it!

07/25/2026

Could there be a card better suited for moi? Thank you for the best ever card. I just reordered this beauty! So today is, day one of the once yearly sale. I arrived ten minutes late. Folks were lined up waiting. Took me a while to get my sale mojo going. Before you knew it I was me at my best, though the math skills lagged behind. One dear customer made the sign of the cross as she shopped, another entertained those at the end of the line. Folks love the energy and madness of grand theater which a once yearly sale can generate. People were kind and patient and great fun. For a short minute, before I opened the shop door, maybe when I pulled up, l thought how much longer you gonna do this girl? Then the ego took hold… everyone loves an adoring fan base. I will be here until “the cows come home”…a favorite quote of Dora’s. I never understood that quote either. I started the day at Fit to Function Recovery with the Legends class and hope to end the day with dinner and a cocktail with my old friend Emma Vesey who has made some huge changes in her life lately. I am in awe of moving on. Today at Legends I had a few conversations between CrossFit and slugs of water. I decided it’s time to consider selling the old two story and finding living all on one level…maybe. Oh, summer is the best ever time for hare-brained ideas. Stay kind and put your feet up with a good book maybe something iced and slightly alcoholic (or not)

07/24/2026

Our Summer Sale only happens only once a year and it starts Friday, July 24th right through Monday! Everything is 15% - 75% off!

Unique gift shop in Roslindale Village, MA. Anitques, art, jewelry, books, men's gifts, candle, lotions and all things irresistible.

07/20/2026

Five of us dined last night in this garden. It was the perfect evening for roasted grapes on a bed of fresh burrata as a first course. The meal was superb, start to finish. Ending with a chocolate cheese cake studded with fresh raspberries. These dear men know how to cook! What old girl doesn’t love the company of four handsome, smart men. The conversation went from gardening to bike lanes to affordable housing to food and back to gardening. It was a splendid night. The company and food could not have been better. What a fine ending to a weekend. Saturday at the shop was busy. Gone is that garden table with the glass top, circa 1950. Gone, as well, the last of my dear friend Jack’s group of Japanese art. Jack is gone too, so these dear treasured, pieces of his collection were, in a way, the essence of a talented and dear friend. Sunday we are a three hour retail store. Some Sunday’s it’s a plop down in the pink chair to read and await guests. This Sunday was busy with shoppers and conversation. Books sold and cards and soaps and more books. I love a good rapid fire retail day when layered with visitors and their stories. I have a truly fine life, between adventures with bone breaks, and aging issues, old pugs and old cars, old houses and new clothes lines. It’s all quite wonderful. If only I could whip the rest of the world into some sort of peace...

07/17/2026

Dinner a few nights back with three dear men I rarely see at the Pleasant Cafe in Roslindale. One a delicious new friend, the other two I have known for years. It was Chris who captured the red sun in a smoke filled sky just above this icon of neon. I do believe we closed the place down. The food was fine, the cocktails superb, and the history we all share…priceless. We continue to have soot filled sky, eye smarting, throat scratchy. I can’t imagine the Canadian countryside with their fires.

Today my laptop froze in a black screen and no way to get beyond the crash of all, I swear isn’t all that important…until I can’t access email and all the nonsense that one laptop holds. I dashed, laptop in hand, to my genius friend Victor who is worth every penny he charges.

On my way to Brighton I stopped by my daughter’s house in Newton. She met me out front with her nail clippers! A little semi manicure while I sat in the drivers seat, car idling, to help five finger nails on the right hand a wee more presentable. Breaking a wrist is sobering business. And the survival of all we take for granted, that is indeed an eyeopener.

Then off to the shop. A decent day of interesting conversations. And I even sold some merchandise. What a grand life this is!