Lost Pines Art Bazaar’s Naseem Khonsari pinpoints her favorite gift items, all of which can be found in her family-run shop in Bastrop, Texas.
By Madison Matous
The Khonsari family has always cherished a sense of wanderlust, united in their desire to travel throughout the world, gaining experiences that would give them an appreciation for different cultures and histories. It was this passion that led to the 2012 opening of their store, Lost Pines Art Bazaar, which was originally centered on Kazem Khonsari’s Persian rug collection. His daughter, Naseem Khonsari, helped get the store started.
“Once I became more involved and took more ownership [at the store]is when we started adding in more home décor and gift items,” she says.
Her travels, which have taken her to Europe, Australia, Central America, East Africa, Iran and Honduras, influence the vendors she chooses and the products she carries in the store today, with Naseem Khonsari focusing on items that are handcrafted and ethically made. Her sister, Saba Khonsari, entered the family business not long after, to help with the bookkeeping and the store’s presence on social media.
When picking out gifts for the people in her life—be that for a birthday or holiday—Naseem Khonsari says she prefers to group several smaller items together to create a uniquely personalized present rather than gifting one big present. Here, she shares her favorite picks, all available in her family-run shop, that are sure to delight friends and family this holiday season.
Ankole-horn whisky tumbler set
“I love the whisky tumblers, handcrafted and sold in both dark and light horn colors, as a gift option for the hard-to-buy-for person. The products are heirloom quality, are ethically produced and support artisans in Uganda. Even though they are made continents away and are somewhat modern in design, there is something authentically Texas about these items. They are a gift item we’ve stocked in our boutique for years and are a customer favorite.”
Bad Girls Throughout History: 100 Remarkable Women Who Changed the World
“I love a great book that doubles as a conversation starter and coffee-table book. This one is a favorite for me this year.”
Small Victories by Julia Turshen and Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi
“Every year, we have a few go-to recommendations for cookbooks, and these are two of our top picks this season. Saba and I are both big on cooking, and a great cookbook is such a fun thing to gift, especially one you personally love or would love to be gifted.”
June & December tea towels
“These tea towels are one of my absolute favorites, and the couple behind this brand are amazing. As a small business, we love being able to support other small businesses by keeping them in mind when we curate the selection stocked in store. For me, tea towels are such a great gift idea because you can easily pair them with a cookbook, kitchen notepad or small kitchen accessory for an easy and thoughtful gift. We love wrapping a gift in a tea towel and twine, which also works great for homemade treats you may be making over the holiday season.”
Hazel Village dolls
“These dolls are so beautifully made, and I love that you can buy matching kids’ outfits to pair with the dolls. The dolls are made fair-trade in Noida, India, and most of the doll clothes and all of the kids’ clothes are made in Brooklyn. We’ve been watching this brand for a while and we’re excited to add them to our ever-growing collection of baby and kid gifts this fall.”
To learn more about Lost Pines Art Bazaar, visit lostpinesartbazaar.com.