Email
Palm Springs Insiders
Three in-the-know residents reveal their personal projects and Palm Springs picks.
Robert Imber, Owner, Palm Springs Modern Tours
Who: The go-to guy for desert-modern architecture, Imber can arrange exclusive private tours of Palm Springs icons, taking advantage of his insider access.
Where: His favorites are the St. Theresa church (designed by William F. Cody in 1968), the 1959 Bank of America building and the Palevsky House in Little Tuscany. $ Private tours start at $750; 760-318-6118.
Tara Lazar, Owner, Cheeky’s and Birba
Who: At 34, Lazar is building a restaurant empire, focusing on laid-back, locally sourced cuisine.
What: Following the success of her three-year-old brunch spot Cheeky’s, Lazar opened Birba, serving pizza and drinks, in January, and renovated an old inn behind both properties. $ Cheeky’s brunch starts at $15, cheekysps.com; Birba dinner, at $20; birbaps.com.
Paul Bruggemans, Owner, Le Vallauris
Who: Belgium-born Bruggemans opened this classic French restaurant in 1974, serving everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz. Dinner starts at $50; levallauris.com.
Where: On nights off, he dines at Johannes, an unassuming Austrian spot that serves pitch-perfect dishes like roasted duck with orange tarragon glaze. Dinner starts at $40; johannes-restaurant.com.
$ Establishment accepts no charge/credit cards or accepts cards other than the American Express Card.
