Ross Mathews loves a good meal, and he has enjoyed quite a few of them on Food Network and Cooking Channel — stopping in on Dinner at Tiffani's, judging Food Network Star and competing on Celebrity Food Fight. He's also a committed home cook, particularly on the weekends, when he's at his house in Palm Springs, CA. He first visited the city in 2003, when he was "Ross the Intern" on The Tonight Show — and he loved it at first sight: "I was like, This is the mother ship. This is home," he says. Ross, now a host of Hollywood Today Live, and his boyfriend, Salvador Camarena, a stylist, bought a Palm Springs fixer-upper in 2012, flipped it and upgraded to this modern two-story house. During the week, the couple and their three dogs live in L.A., but they spend most weekends here. Unlike their last place, this one was move-in ready, with lofted ceilings and an open floor plan that's ideal for cocktail parties. They painted a few walls, changing oranges and greens to white, then gave the place what they call "Palm Springs pop" with a yellow front door and flamingo decor. Otherwise, the house has been totally low-maintenance: When they arrive on Friday night, they just throw down their bags and start relaxing. "It's like a succulent plant," Ross says. "You sort of don't even need to water it."
Photographs by Jessica Sample
