Ariana Madix had some reservations before returning to TomTom, the restaurant where she learned of the affair between her boyfriend of nine years at the time, Tom Sandoval, and their Vanderpump Rules actress Rachel “Raquel” Leviss.
The 38-year-old reality star told PEOPLE at the show’s Season 11 premiere earlier this month that she “definitely had anxiety” about returning to the West Hollywood hot spot, where she hadn’t been since finding an intimate video of Leviss on her ex’s phone, which led to her breaking up with Sandoval. (41).
“I haven’t been there since March 1, and then I ended up sitting in the same place,” she explained. “And it felt weird, like it was weird for a second.”
Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix at the opening night of Friends and Family at Schwartz & Sandy’s with the cast of “Vanderpump Rules” at Schwartz & Sandy’s Lounge on July 26, 2022.
Amanda Edwards/Getty
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However Dancing with the stars alum quickly settled in among her friends, saying, “But then, it’s like I have all the girls that definitely made me who I am… If I have my girls, I’ll be OK.”
On the highly-anticipated Season 11 premiere, Madix admitted she was “nervous” to return to TomTom to DJ her friend and colleague James Kennedy. Before the night out, she told boyfriend Daniel Wai that she hadn’t “been there since the night it all happened”.
“I shouldn’t have to cut my life short because Tom messed everything up and if I can go there and create new memories, maybe it won’t have power over me anymore and I can look at it as a bar,” she explained in the confessional.
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When she arrived at the bar, she was greeted by the girls, but admitted she was still feeling “a little shaky” about coming back, especially after being seated in the same seat as last time.
As the girls gathered around her, Madix was overcome with emotion at returning to the place where she discovered the bombshell affair.
“I didn’t expect to feel all this coming right now,” she explained. “You think it’s just a seat or just a chair or a table, whatever, and I’ve sat at this table so many times, but now that time is really taking over my memories of this place.”
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Ariana Madix poses at a photo call for Madix joining the cast of “Chicago” on Broadway at 48 Lounge on January 9, 2024 in New York City. Ariana Madix is joining the cast of the Broadway musical “Chicago” as Roxie Hart, which will make its Broadway debut on Monday, January 29, 2024.
Bruce Glikas/WireImage
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In addition to returning to TomTom, Madix was still dealing with her living arrangement with Sandoval after they bought a home together in 2019. However, the Broadway star has since taken ownership of the property in Los Angeles.
“I own a house,” she told PEOPLE at the premiere. “I felt like it was the last thing and I’m really motivated to be able to use my investment that I put into the house, so I can make another investment and be able to completely stop being tied to yes.”
She added that since she is “a bit of a control freak”, she wanted to be in charge of the situation in the home she shared with her ex.
Now she is ready to look for a new place to live and leave all the drama behind. “I want things a certain way when I think the time is right,” Madix continued. “So I’m ready. I want to own my own home.”
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Vanderpump Rules airs Tuesdays at 8:00 PM ET on Bravo.
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Source: HIS Education