Here's Why Tom & Ariana Said Goodbye to Their Old Apartment Before Their Split
Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix revisited a few iconic moments in Bravo history at their old West Hollywood apartment shorty before they broke up.
When Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix used to live in a tiny apartment in West Hollywood, California, they had a very specific issue that involved two vital appliances: the microwave and the air conditioning couldn't run at the same time or the electricity would go out.
“There is absolutely nothing that I miss about living in that apartment!” Ariana told BravoTV.com in an interview a few years ago. Totally understandable, considering the electrical malfunctions and, well, memories of former relationships (i.e. former drama).
In the Vanderpump Rules: Secrets Revealed episode, which aired on June 14, Tom and Ariana went back to the old place while they were still in a relationship. As it turns out, they had a few things to take care of since Ariana's brother, Jeremy, had been living there for a while.
"Oh my god if those walls could talk ... [Tom] probably wouldn't get his deposit back!" Lisa Vanderpump quipped in a confessional.
So, what did Tom and Ariana find upon their return?
Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix visited their old apartment before their breakup
"Even though Ariana and I moved out of our apartment — the infamous apartment — Ariana's brother has been living there for the past couple [of] years," Tom explained in a confessional of the former apartment they used to occupy before buying a $2M farmhouse-style home in 2019. "Now he's moving out and I have to say 'Goodbye' to a place that I've lived longer than any house I've ever lived in, even growing up."
When Tom and Ariana arrived, the apartment was mostly cleared out, save for some mail, a few pieces of artwork, and a couch that Jeremy ostensibly left.
When Tom Schwartz arrived to help Sandoval take apart the bed frame, he, too, was instantly transported back to old memories, reflecting with the pair on the way things were — dysfunctionally speaking.
"The A/C's kickin'!" Schwartz exclaimed, then suggesting they "fire up the microwave" to see if the wires get tripped — you know, for old time's sake.
The trio was in luck, as the air conditioning unit and microwave seemed to be functioning properly and didn't blow any fuses.
Sorting through more old items, Sandoval found a special piece from the past: an old beer bong they used during the Season 4 cast trip to Hawaii. Though Ariana didn't want to participate in bonging a beer, Schwartz made a gallant attempt to see if he "still got it."
"I don't got it," he hilariously quipped in a confessional after the beer bong attempt didn't go too well.
Even with the technical difficulties and small quarters, Sandoval was still appreciative of the life he lived in the space. "The times that I've gone through in my life in that apartment literally made me who I am today," he shared. "And I loved it, I loved every moment. Every stupid, trashy, funny moment ... it will always be a part of me."
Where are Tom and Ariana living now?
Following their breakup in March, fans have been wondering about Ariana's current living situation with Sandoval. On Part 1 of the Vanderpump Rules Season 10 reunion, Ariana clarified certain details about their cohabitation amid the breakup.
“He’s been staying in the guest room, and I avoid run-ins at all costs,” she said during her one-on-one sit-down with host Andy Cohen, revealing that, at that time, they were still living under the same roof but with specific boundaries in play. “We have people running interference and go-betweens to prevent that.”
Moreover, when the cast was all together for the reunion sit-down, Sandoval shared he had been living in the house "on and off" since he and Ariana called it quits.
More recently, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times published on May 24, Ariana explained why it was actually easy to avoid seeing Sandoval in their shared home. “It’s big enough that we don’t have to [see each other],” she said. “I’m in the primary bedroom. If you go upstairs, it’s to the left. And if you go upstairs, and you go all the way down to the right, that’s the guest bedroom. That’s where he’s staying. We communicate with a third party. If he’s at the house, he stays either in the guest bedroom or in the gym. And it’s like, ‘Hey, when is he going to be done with the gym? I need to use it.’ ‘He said he’ll be done at X time.’ ‘OK, cool.’ And then he either goes straight back into the guest room or he leaves. I move about the house a little bit more freely, but I definitely make sure that we don’t cross paths. I might hear footsteps, but that’s about it.”
