Santa Shops Here Too

Find artful holiday gifts for everyone on your list at zen Dallas shop

Finding one-of-a-kind holiday gifts at the mall can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. A very crowded, noisy haystack.

Skip the stressful excursions and buy your gifts in a more serene setting. The Lotus Shop at the Crow Collection of Asian Art, located on Flora Street behind the Belo Mansion, has expanded to include an impressive and distinctive selection of gifts, homewares, cards, books, jewelry, and much more — all from or inspired by Asia.

A friendly and helpful staff member can guide you through the light-filled shop, or you can browse uninterrupted. Start with the lovely selection of Japanese tea sets, from ceramic to cast iron to porcelain. Also find upward of 20 different Buddha statues, like the miniature Liu Yonggang Buddha sculpture ($79.95; member price: $63.96) that stands just under 10 inches tall and perfectly replicates the larger version in front of the museum. How often can you give the gift of enlightenment and wisdom?

For the stylish people on your holiday list, consider a Japanese shibori scarf, luxuriously designed journals, or the Bao Bao Issey Miyake lucent tote bag ($425; member price: $340). Available in multiple colors, it features triangles placed on mesh fabric, with a large interior zipper pocket. The bag lays completely flat when not in use but takes on a unique form when carried.

The limited edition Gorlizki clutch ($195; member price: $156) is a custom piece, inspired by the Crow Collection’s exhibition "Alexander Gorlizki: Variable Dimensions." Made from eco-friendly, cruelty-free materials, it’s a chic accessory any style maven will appreciate.

If you’ve got a friend who’s impossible to buy for, the Lotus Shop’s chopstick folding baskets ($32; member price: $25.60) are striking home accessories. These Japanese-inspired baskets are made from recycled chopsticks that have been sanitized at a high temperature and crafted into beautiful products.

Another why-didn’t-I-think-of-this-before gift idea: a pagoda snow globe ($50; member price: $40). Luxurious and delicate, these globes make for a charming addition to your holiday cheer.

For kids, consider one of Kotobuki’s popular character-themed bento sets. Each bento box has multiple compartments to keep foods separate. The sets are also perfect for non-food uses, such as storing baubles and jewelry. We love the tanuki raccoon dog bento box ($40; member price: $32), which is perfect for kids of all ages. Training chopsticks with fun animal toppers are another super-cute gift option.

Because no shopping trip is complete without picking up a little something pretty for yourself, consider Asian-inspired ornaments from Thomas Glenn Holidays, or a porcelain crane origami ornament ($16; member price: $12.80).

An afternoon in the Lotus Shop is a welcome respite from the holiday rush, and you will go home with a carload of out-of-the-ordinary gifts sure to delight everyone on your list.

This chopstick folding basket is one of many in the Lotus Shop created from recycled chopsticks, $32 (member price: $25.60).

Chopstick folding basket at the Lotus Shop in Dallas

Courtesy photo

This chopstick folding basket is one of many in the Lotus Shop created from recycled chopsticks, $32 (member price: $25.60).

Music and Fashion

Miranda Lambert's 'Velvet Rodeo' wardrobe stars in new DFW exhibition

“Miranda Lambert: Velvet Rodeo” at National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame

Photo by Tyler Conrad

“Miranda Lambert: Velvet Rodeo” will open on November 7 at the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame.

Country star Miranda Lambert is bringing a bit of Las Vegas glamour and bling to North Texas. Her one-of-a-kind wardrobe from her "Velvet Rodeo" residency will go on display at the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame in Fort Worth when its new Icons Gallery opens November 7.

According to a release, the exhibition, called "Miranda Lambert: Velvet Rodeo," was created in collaboration with Lambert, and will feature costumes from the singer's Las Vegas residency, which ran from September 2022 to April 2024.

Lambert said her inspiration came from an earlier visit to the Fort Worth museum, where she spotted historic Western pieces that she photographed and sent to her stylist, Tiffany Gifford. They combined those influences with the glitz of Elvis Presley's heyday to create the "Velvet Rodeo" wardrobe.

“Seeing these pieces now have a life beyond the stage as part of the Museum’s new Icons Gallery feels really full circle and special,” Lambert said in a statement.

Visitors will now have the opportunity to study garments usually seen in motion and under stage lights, appreciating the details that help transform clothing into an essential part of a performance.

The Icons Gallery is part of the Museum’s 16,000-square-foot expansion, which introduces new galleries and experiences that explore the accomplishments and influence of women of the West. The $19 million expansion features a new entrance facing Dickies Arena, new galleries including a photography gallery, an event space accommodating up to 250, and the new Cowgirl Carousel.

Miranda Lambert, right, with rodeo queens onstage at the 45th Cowgirl Hall of Fame Induction Luncheon at Dickies Arena. Photo by Ashley Gongora

Lambert, who was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 2021, is an active mounted shooting competitor and horsewoman, giving her a connection to the West that reaches beyond her music. "Velvet Rodeo" brings together Lambert's identity as a cowgirl and her creative expression as a performer.

“Miranda’s confidence, determination and independence make her a wonderful representative of the women we honor,” says Pat Riley, executive director of the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame, in the release. “Opening our Icons Gallery with this collaboration celebrates her accomplishments while giving visitors a new way to connect with a cowgirl they know and admire.”

According to a museum spokesperson, the temporary exhibition will remain on display for at least one year; no specific end date was given.

In preparation for the expansion grand opening, the Cowgirl will be closed to the public beginning October 19 and will reopen November 7, with a members-only preview at 10 am and a public opening at noon.

celebrities country music exhibitions-visual-arts fashion miranda lambert museums music national cowgirl museum temporary exhibition