Desert Hearts: Finding Love and Home in Palm Springs

When Michael Ameel and Sam Steiber matched on the Hinge app, they didn’t need anyone to tell them it was the start of something special.

They had Palm Springs.

Ameel was just leaving the desert enclave after a trip there with friends, while Steiber was just arriving. During his stay, Steiber’s friends encouraged him to redo his dating app profile. He did, and the new images featured Palm Springs prominently. When Ameel saw those pictures, it was clear the two would have a connection.