Boutique community of just 40 home sites is ideally located close to Washington, D.C.
/EIN News/ — ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 27, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Toll Brothers, Inc. (NYSE:TOL), the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes, today announced the highly anticipated opening of The Grove at Dominion Hills, a brand-new community in Arlington, Virginia. Home buyers are invited to visit the Sales Center and tour the professionally decorated model home located at 848 North Madison Street in Arlington.
Situated in the heart of Arlington, The Grove at Dominion Hills is a boutique community of just 40 new luxury single-family homes priced from $1.9 million. Toll Brothers offers modern floor plans with two-car garages, open-concept kitchens and great rooms, luxurious primary bedroom suites, and backyard space. Home buyers will be able to choose from home designs ranging from 3,470 to 5,834+ square feet, each built with the Toll Brothers’ commitment to outstanding quality and craftsmanship.
“We’re excited to provide home buyers with the rare opportunity to purchase a new construction luxury home in the highly sought-after area of Arlington,” said Eric Anderson, Regional President of Toll Brothers in Virginia. “With well-designed homes in a central location close to everything the D.C. Metro area has to offer, we continue to offer our residents the best in luxury living in the most desirable neighborhoods.”
Quick move-in homes with designer-appointed features are available in the community, allowing home buyers the opportunity to move into their new dream home later this year or in early 2024.
“We invite homebuyers to tour our new Woodward Contemporary model home, which showcases the incredible architectural design and luxurious features that define the homes in this community,” added Anderson.
Home buyers will enjoy proximity to nearby shopping, dining, arts, and entertainment. Nearby recreational destinations include Ballston Quarter, Upton Hill Regional Park, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, as well as sporting arenas, stadiums, and more. Children will attend schools in the Arlington County School District.
The community is centrally located in Arlington with convenient access to East Falls Church Metro station, Interstates 66 and 495, US Route 50, US Route 7, and Interstate Dulles Toll Road/Route 267, offering homeowners convenient access to Washington, D.C. and beyond.
For more information on The Grove at Dominion Hills and Toll Brothers communities in the Washington, D.C. metro area, call (855) 298-0316 or visit TollBrothers.com/Virginia.
About Toll Brothers Toll Brothers, Inc., a Fortune 500 Company, is the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes. The Company was founded 56 years ago in 1967 and became a public company in 1986. Its common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “TOL.” The Company serves first-time, move-up, empty-nester, active-adult, and second-home buyers, as well as urban and suburban renters. Toll Brothers builds in over 60 markets in 24 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington, as well as in the District of Columbia. The Company operates its own architectural, engineering, mortgage, title, land development, smart home technology, and landscape subsidiaries. The Company also develops master-planned and golf course communities as well as operates its own lumber distribution, house component assembly, and manufacturing operations.
Toll Brothers was named the #1 Home Builder in Fortune magazine’s 2023 survey of the World’s Most Admired Companies®, the eighth year it has been so honored. Toll Brothers has also been named Builder of the Year by Builder magazine and is the first two-time recipient of Builder of the Year from Professional Builder magazine. For more information visit TollBrothers.com.
Sent by Toll Brothers via Regional Globe Newswire (TOLL-REG)
The Grove at Dominion Hills by Toll Brothers
Toll Brothers boutique new home community, The Grove at Dominion Hills, opens in Arlington, Virginia
The Grove at Dominion Hills by Toll Brothers
“We’re excited to provide home buyers with the rare opportunity to purchase a new construction luxury home in the highly sought-after area of Arlington,” said Eric Anderson, Regional President of Toll Brothers in Virginia.
How often do people outside the South think about Chattanooga? Or, to localize that even further, how often do people outside of East Tennessee and Northwest Georgia think about Chattanooga? However much that happens, it probably isn’t enough. This gorgeous city has a fascinating history and is the perfect size for a weekend getaway. Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachians, with Lookout Mountain looming over the city and the Tennessee River running right through it, Chattanooga is a top spot for hikers and other outdoorsy types. It also has a bounty of exciting activities and attractions for all of us who prefer the comfort of the indoors, as well. Once you visit Chattanooga, it’s readily apparent why it’s known as the Scenic City.
I used to hang out in Chattanooga a bit in the early ‘00s, when I lived just across the border in Georgia. I’d hit up Chad’s Records and Lamar’s (RIP), take in a Lookouts minor league baseball game, catch movies out by Hamilton Place, and eat at Tony’s Pasta Shop & Trattoria in the Bluff View Art District when celebrating special occasions. It was a cool town then and it’s only gotten cooler since, despite the loss of Lamar’s. It’s close enough to—and different enough from—Atlanta to make a combo trip worth it for anybody who doesn’t live in the region. If you ever do make it to Chattanooga, it’s best, as always, to have a plan; here are some of our favorite things to do in the Scenic City.
Where to Go
The biggest attraction in downtown Chattanooga is the Tennessee Aquarium. The world’s largest freshwater aquarium when it opened in 1992, this riverfront aquarium originally focused on the wildlife and ecosystem of rivers from around the world. That alone made it a familiar field trip excursion for school kids throughout Tennessee and Northwest Georgia, but the Tennessee Aquarium wasn’t content to rest on its lilypads. In 2005 it opened a large expansion that looked at ocean life, just a few months before Atlanta’s own Georgia Aquarium opened and cut into its audience a bit. Even if you’ve been to the much larger one in Atlanta, you should take time to hit up Chattanooga’s aquarium. Not only will you learn some fascinating information about the Tennessee River and other bodies of water around the globe, but you’ll get to marvel at all manner of glorious sea creatures. Heck, the otter habitat alone is worth the cost of admission. And if you go on a weekend, you’ll get to browse the Chattanooga River Market outside the aquarium.
Before the Tennessee Aquarium, tourism in Chattanooga was defined by Lookout Mountain. Standing at almost 2500 feet high, the ridge looms over the city and outlying areas, with local legend (or at least one tourist attraction) claiming that you can see seven different states on a clear day. You can drive to the top, but the incline railway is the best and most scenic way to scale the mountain. Once inhabited by the area’s native Chickamauga people, the mountain was the site of a Civil War battle, like pretty much the entirety of this region of the country. (Even the most diehard Civil War reenactor would get their fill of the thing if they lived anywhere between Chattanooga and Atlanta.) Today, though, the mountain is worth visiting for two classic tourist sites that have been drawing people to Chattanooga for almost a century: Rock City and Ruby Falls.
Famous for its ubiquitous ads on the sides of barns throughout America in the middle part of the 20th century, Rock City is a fairytale-themed rock garden on top of Lookout Mountain. You’ll see gnomes, fairies, and other creatures from folklore throughout the grounds, and, as mentioned above, might be able to see up to seven states when the weather’s permitting. It’s also home to what’s considered the world’s first mini-golf course. Don’t expect a carnival or amusement park, as one young future Paste travel editor did when his family first took him here in his childhood; Rock City is a charming, relaxing, old-fashioned attraction that doesn’t need cheap thrills to attract an audience.
The other classic attraction on Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls looks inward instead of outward. Guests take a 260-foot elevator deep into the mountain itself in order to gaze upon the 145 foot waterfall in Ruby Falls Cave. During the walk to the waterfall your tour guide will point out various unusual rock formations, including ones that look like a plate of breakfast food, various animals, and a dragon’s foot. The waterfall itself is legitimately awe-inspiring; after walking through a narrow, meandering cavern for a half hour or so, you’ll come upon a spacious chamber in the middle of the mountain. Unseen streams converge almost 150 feet above, forming a waterfall that rages into a pool below. Ruby Falls dresses it up a bit with atmospheric lights and music, a crucial step that enhances the waterfall’s inherent majesty. Watching this natural wonder in a place that humans weren’t meant to see—this cavern had no natural opening, and had to be discovered through drilling like one of those underground chambers in Minecraft—is a legitimately powerful experience. And when you’re done you can buy a pocket knife with your name on it in the gift shop above.
Let’s leave Lookout Mountain and its natural wonders behind and head back downtown for some man-made marvels. The Chattanooga Pinball Museum at 409 Broad Street features over 44 machines of God’s greatest game, ranging from early ‘70s electro-mechanical jawns like 1973’s OXO and 1971’s Four Million B.C., to the latest high-tech whatsises from Stern and Jersey Jack. That’s right, you’ll be able to play brand new, state-of-the-art, very of-the-moment machines like 2021’s Godzilla, 2022’s James Bond 007 (with the Dr. No artwork), and 2019’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. There’s also a selection of old coin-op arcade games from the ‘80s and early ‘90s for those intimidated by the power of pinball. A flat rate gets you free play all day, making the Chattanooga Pinball Museum a fantastic bargain for anybody who enjoys having fun and being cool as hell.
Finally, Chattanooga has a number of notable museums, from the traditional to the one-of-a-kind. The Hunter Museum of American Art is known for its collections of 19th century landscapes and American impressionism, as well as a burgeoning collection of post-World War II contemporary art. The Bessie Smith Cultural Center and Chattanooga African American Museum explores Chattanooga’s African American heritage, from the introduction of slavery into the area, through the Civil Rights movement, and up to the events of today. The Coker Museum houses a ton of cool cars and motorcycles owned by Corky Coker of Chattanooga’s Coker Tire, and if that’s not enough for the automobile acolyte in your family you can also hit up the International Towing and Recovery Museum to see the amazing history of tow trucks in person. Finally, the Songbirds Guitar & Pop Culture Museum displays a selection of guitars that traces the history of the instrument, including guitars once owned by Chuck Berry, Loretta Lynn, Duane Allman, and more; Songbirds is also a non-profit foundation that raises money for music education and therapy, and a concert venue.
Where to Eat
Easy Bistro & Bar has been a Chattanooga staple for years, moving to a new space in the West Village during the height of the pandemic. Owner and James Beard nominated chef Erik Niel adapts French cuisine with ingredients sourced locally, and the result is a rich, complex menu of small plates, large meat portions, and both raw and roasted seafood. The Bavette steak was a fine entree, served medium rare and dowsed with au poivre sauce, while the tagliatelle with Chilean black winter truffles was a standout pasta dish. Our favorites were two small plates, though; the “Ode to Peanuts” was a sweet, salty delight, with summer melons, peanuts, and Surryano ham, while a plate of heirloom tomatoes and nectarines with pecans, fromage blanc and aged balsamic basically tasted like summer on a plate.
Located in Southside, Flying Squirrel is a two-story spot with a big patio and a menu full of shared plates. Favorites include the savory Japanese pancake known as okonomiyaki, which can be served with or without pork belly, and spicy Korean “candy” chicken, which are small pieces of chicken fried in gochujang buttermilk with a lightly spicy bite to them. The best thing we ordered, though, was a tie between the heirloom tomato salad and the charred peach tomato pasta; both were perfectly refreshing for a hot day near the end of summer. And a deep wine and beer selection is complemented with a handful of classic and seasonal cocktails. Sit upstairs, if you can; there’s a dog park next door and watching them buddies romp around made our meal even better.
Lupi’s Pizza Pies has been a humble hometime favorite for almost three decades. The original Downtown location feels to this Atlanta native like Mellow Mushroom before it franchised itself out nationwide—like a cool little local spot with good pizza and a distinct sense of style. You can buy by the slice or the pie, or choose from a plethora of calzone and salad options, and whatever you get will taste fresh and made-to-order, unlike the prefab stuff from the big chains. The Downtown spot also has a pinball machine and a handful of arcade games, if you yearn for that classic childhood pizzeria vibe.
Where to Drink
Matilda Midnight, the bar at the swank little hotel The Dwell (more on that later), is a laidback little haunt with a luxe vibe and a deep bench of custom and classic cocktails. I never thought I would welcome Death but I totally dug the two I drank at this place; the banana-infused overproof rum with amaro, passion fruit, and an absinthe wash didn’t kill me but it definitely left me feeling a little numb in a delicious way. A solid wine and beer list round out the menu, but the true highlight is the ambiance, and especially the artificial nighttime sky above the bar. You know that thing some EPCOT restaurants do where they make it seem like you’re eating outside in Germany or Mexico or wherever, even when you’re in an air conditioned building in Orlando? They kind of do that here, and I absolutely love them for it.
Stir is much bigger and busier than Matilda Midnight, but it has a good rep and I can see why: it’s the king of cocktails, as far as Chattanooga is concerned. With orgeat, falernum and passion fruit jockeying for your tongue’s attention, the Saturn is like a tiki drink but with gin instead of rum; meanwhile the Whiskey Bramble adds orange blossom water for a tart, profound, citrusy take on the Old Fashioned. The drink list is full of thoughtful combinations like these, including a handful of carbonated cocktails on draft and a few barrel-aged drinks for the whiskey devotees. And if you want something straight, they’ve got a wide selection of all kinds of spirits. You can also snag a full meal here, too, if you’d like.
Long ago, well before Prohibition, Chattanooga was a major hub for whiskey and other distilled spirits. That ended when Tennessee enacted its own statewide prohibition a decade before the rest of the country, shuttering all of the city’s (legal) distilleries. Even after the 21st Amendment, Tennessee prohibited distilling in all but three counties for almost 80 years. That didn’t change until 2009, but even when it was expanded to 41 additional counties, Chattanooga’s Hamilton County wasn’t one of them. That didn’t stop the Chattanooga Whiskey Co. from starting in 2011 with the explicit goal of changing the laws and bringing a homemade whiskey back to Chattanooga. Spoiler: they got it done, and since 2015 guests have been able to tour and taste the company’s offerings at the Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery. With a capacity of only 100 gallons, this small operation lets Chattanooga Whiskey experiment with various ingredients and techniques in search of new and unique varieties of hooch. The short tour is a solid primer for anybody new to the world of whiskey, but the main reason to come is to take a seat at the bar (or the backyard atrium era) and drink some of the magic they whip up in those barrels downstairs. Make sure you get a reservation, though; you need to book your tours in advance.
Where to Stay
The Dwell is, in a word, elegant. This luxury boutique hotel’s 16 rooms are all decked out in a unique theme, with tasteful yet chic furnishings largely in the midcentury style. We stayed in the Flamingo suite, and yes, the walls were adorned with flamingo art prints and wallpaper. Other suites include the Convex, full of geometric designs, and the Tiki, with an in-suite bar and a tasteful nautical theme. Conveniently located downtown, the Dwell is about a block over from Miller Plaza Pavilion, the site of the weekly summer concert series Nightfall, and is an easy walk to many of the places I mentioned above. It’s also home to the excellent Matilda Midnight bar. Despite its elegance, the Dwell isn’t stuffy, and I think that has something to do with its history; although this hotel only opened in 2016, the building dates to 1909, when it was known as the Colonial Hotel. Before its latest revamp, it was operated for years as the Stone Fort Inn. There are other fantastic hotels in town, some of which are more affordable, but if you want to make your Chattanooga visit truly unforgettable, grab a room at The Dwell.
Senior editor Garrett Martin writes about videogames, comedy, travel, theme parks, wrestling, and anything else that gets in his way. He’s also on Twitter @grmartin.
/EIN News/ — Addison, TX, Sept. 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Jefferson Health, a leading academic non-profit health system principally located in the greater Philadelphia region and New Jersey, and Solis Mammography, the nation’s largest independent provider of specialized breast health services have united their expertise and resources to establish a partnership aimed at revolutionizing mammography services across the tri-state area. This groundbreaking collaboration marks a significant milestone in the local healthcare landscape, promising exceptional accessibility, precision, and patient-centered care for the greater Philadelphia community.
Solis Mammography has been in the Philadelphia market since 2018, having successfully partnered with Einstein Healthcare Network in launching six breast imaging centers across the greater Philadelphia area. Einstein has since been integrated into Jefferson Health and now this expanded partnership with Solis Mammography will further the reach of Jefferson’s mammography care in the community.
Jefferson Health’s nationally acclaimed reputation for delivering world-class healthcare, combined with Solis Mammography’s innovation leadership in mammography services form the cornerstone of the partnership. With a shared commitment of fostering superior breast health care, this collaboration seeks to redefine mammography services, ensuring that the community will have convenient access to state-of-the-art technology, an earliest stage breast cancer detection mindset, and compassionate care. In addition, Solis Mammography and Jefferson Health remain committed to Jefferson’s charity care policies, which will be maintained at all of the breast imaging centers.
“Jefferson Health is committed to providing personalized, high-quality and equitable care with a focus on innovation. This expanded relationship with Solis Mammography will seamlessly enhance access to advanced mammography services throughout the region and will build upon Jefferson’s community-based education and outreach programs,” said Baligh R. Yehia, MD, President, Jefferson Health.
“Our philosophy of care is centered around delivering an exceptional experience,” said Grant Davies, President and Chief Executive Officer of Solis Mammography. “As we build on Jefferson Health’s strong foundation with expanded access across the region, the patient experience will be further enhanced. By marrying technical innovation and superb clinical leadership with a high-touch, patient-centric experience, we’re able to advance our mission of early detection and save more lives.
About Solis Mammography Solis Mammography, a premier women’s health company and the nation’s largest independent provider of specialized breast health services, has been dedicated to elevating mammography services and maintaining breast health and peace of mind for almost 40 years. Headquartered in Addison, Texas, Solis Mammography operates more than 120 centers in 14 major markets, including Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Denver, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Columbus, Nashville, North Carolina, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and, through its affiliated brands Washington Radiology and Progressive Radiology, Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Solis Mammography is pioneering a boutique-style retail healthcare experience. The company operates both wholly owned centers and multiple successful joint venture partnerships with large hospital systems and prominent medical and academic institutions.
About Jefferson Health: Nationally ranked, Jefferson, which is principally located in the greater Philadelphia region and southern New Jersey, is reimagining health care and higher education to create unparalleled value. Jefferson is more than 42,000 people strong, dedicated to providing the highest-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients; making our communities healthier and stronger; preparing tomorrow’s professional leaders for 21st-century careers; and creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic, clinical, and applied research. Thomas Jefferson University, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College and Kanbar College of Design, Engineering, and Commerce, dates back to 1824 and today comprises 10 colleges and three schools offering 200 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8,400 students. Jefferson Health, nationally ranked as one of the top health care systems in the country and the largest provider in the Philadelphia area, serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 17 hospitals and over 50 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region. Jefferson Health Plans is a not-for-profit managed health care organization providing a broad range of health coverage options in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for more than 35 years.
Anne Warren
Solis Mammography
anne.warren@solismammo.com
Ashley Jefferson
Jefferson Health
Ashley.jefferson@jefferson.edu
/EIN News/ — HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., Sept. 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: DCOM) (the “Company” or “Dime”), the parent company of Dime Community Bank (the “Bank”) announced the appointment of Judith H. Germano to the Board of Directors effective as of September 28, 2023. Ms. Germano will fill the position vacated by the retirement of Marcia Z. Hefter.
Kenneth J. Mahon, Executive Chairman of Dime, said “Judith has extensive and valuable experience in cybersecurity, data privacy, compliance and risk management. Given her skill set and experience, we are excited to have her join our Board.”
Ms. Germano is Founder and Lead Counsel at GermanoLaw LLC, a boutique law firm she founded in 2013. Ms. Germano is a Distinguished Fellow at New York University (NYU)’s Center for Cybersecurity, an Adjunct Professor of Law at NYU School of Law, and an Adjunct Professor at NYU Stern School of Business. Ms. Germano specializes in cybersecurity and privacy, financial regulation and compliance, and risk management and strategy. Ms. Germano served for 11 years as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice, including as Chief of Economic Crimes at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, where she handled complex financial fraud and cybercrime matters; she also served on the U.S. President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force following the 2008 Financial Crisis. Ms. Germano previously worked at the global law firm Shearman & Sterling, and as a law clerk to federal judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. She founded and chairs WomenLeadersinCybersecurity.org, and has led the NYU Cybersecurity Leaders Roundtable series since 2013. She sits on the Advisory Boards of the Advanced Cybersecurity Center and the Volatility and Risk Institute; and is an Expert Industry Advisor at TruePic, Inc. Ms. Germano holds a B.S. degree from Cornell University and a J.D., cum laude, from St. John’s University School of Law.
ABOUT DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for Dime Community Bank, a New York State-chartered trust company with over $13.8 billion in assets and the number one deposit market share among community banks on Greater Long Island (1).
Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. Investor Relations Contact: Avinash Reddy Senior Executive Vice President – Chief Financial Officer Phone: 718-782-6200; Ext. 5909 Email: avinash.reddy@dime.com
(1) Aggregate deposit market share for Kings, Queens, Nassau & Suffolk counties for community banks with less than $20 billion in assets.
Bob Menendez’s wife partied with Mob Wives and Real Housewives then two-timed her attorney boyfriend to become the senator’s lover, The Post can reveal.
And during their tumultuous courtship, the New Jersey Democrat sent Capitol Police officers to his love rival’s office to “bully him out of the picture,” the attorney — who represented R. Kelly during his sex-trafficking trial — told The Post.
Nadine Arslanian Menendez is now facing up to 45 years in prison, accused of conspiring with her husband to commit fraud, bribery and extortion by selling the power of his office to the Egyptian government and two New Jersey businessmen in exchange for a convertible Mercedes, gold bars and cash he stashed in his jackets.
She and Menendez pleaded not guilty at federal court in Manhattan Wednesday, with Arslanian bringing a $2,300 quilted Chanel bag for their first joint court appearance.
“I’m just heartsick about her,” said a woman who identified herself as a close relative. “I’ve been crying all day. She is an upstanding person. Nothing in her life prepared her for this.”
Nadine Arslanian (left) parties with the Real Housewives of New Jersey cast members Jacqueline Laurita and Kim “Kim D.” DePaola.Nadine Arslanian/FacebookNadine Arslanian with Karen Gravano, daughter of Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano and a star of “Mob Wives” and (right) former mobster John Alite at a night club in 2015. Alite told The Post he warned Arslanian about Menendez.New York Post
Marriage to a senator should have been the culmination of an American dream for Arslanian, who was born in 1967 in Beirut, Lebanon, in a wealthy Armenian household.
She and sister Katia each had their own governess, a family friend told The Post.
But when the country descended into civil war in 1975 the family fled first to Greece and then to London and Palo Alto, Calif., then settled on a leafy suburban street in Nassau County where her parents Garbis and Ida Tabourian were staunch supporters of the Armenian community.
Menendez walked into federal court Wednesday hand-in-hand with his wife and co-indictee Nadine Arslanian. Their courtship was far more tumultuous than he had spoken about publicly, with a love triangle and a call to the police.AFP via Getty Images
Arslanian attended New York University, graduating with undergraduate and masters degrees in international politics and French history, then married New Jersey developer Raffi Arslanian and had two children. They bought a modest home in Englewood Cliffs, with plans to tear it down,
“They wanted to build their dream home, but the whole thing fell apart,” attorney Douglas Anton told The Post.
He started dating Arslanian in 2011 and did some legal work for her.
He also represented R. Kelly at the trial which ended with the star’s conviction for sex trafficking.
In March 2018, Menendez was photographed with his new girlfriend Arslanian and Egyptian-American businessman Wael “Will” Hana. But she was also dating attorney Doug Norton at the time.New York PostNadine Arslanian was dating lawyer Doug Anton at the same time that she started dating Menendez, Anton said. They had a night out in May 2018, months after Anton told The Post that Menendez revealed his love for her.New York Post
After the couple divorced in 2005, Arslanian struggled to raise daughter Sabine, and son Andre.
The children studied at the elite Lycée Français in Manhattan where tuition tops $46,000 a year — and she would take them to a Union City IHOP on the commute.
The owner of the restaurant introduced her to the senator, he said.
“They maintained a friendship,” said Anton. “She used to call him every year on his birthday. Sometimes he invited her for lunch if he was doing an event in New Jersey and she would go with one of her girlfriends.”
Nadine Arslanian with her children Sabine and Andre. Friends say that despite struggling to pay her bills for years, Arslanian had a taste for the high life. Nadine Arslanian/FacebookGarbis and Ida Tabourian, Arslanian’s parents, who were forced to flee Beirut after the beginning of the civil war in 1975.facebook
A decade-long friendship is the opposite of the account Arslanian and Menendez gave to the Times’ “Vows” column in which she claimed that they met in December 2018 and she had no idea who he was.
“We were introduced by the owner of the IHOP, and I didn’t know at that time that Bob was a senator,” Arslanian said in 2021. “He was very intelligent and had a great sense of humor, and he was very, very hot.”
While keeping up a friendship with Menendez, Arslanian enjoyed partying with the stars of “Real Housewives of New Jersey,” including Jacqueline Laurita, at venues including Kim “Kim D.” DePaola’s boutique Posche in Allendale, NJ.
Another party night was with Brittany Fogarty â daughter of convicted mobster John Fogarty â and her mom Andrea Giovino, both stars of “Mob Wives.”Nadine Arslanian/FacebookArslanian poses with Kim DePaola from the Real Housewives of New Jersey at the soft opening at the Englewood Cliffs outpost of American Cut, run by celebrity chef Marc Forgione (third from right.)Nadine Arslanian/Facebook
She also socialized with “Mob Wives” stars Karen Gravano (daughter of Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano) and Brittany Fogarty — daughter of convicted mobster John Fogarty — and her mom Andrea Giovino, once nicknamed the “real-life Carmela Soprano.”
And she hung out with “Iron Chef” star Marc Forgione at the now-closed Englewood Cliffs branch of his American Cut steakhouses and enjoyed nights out at upscale Manhattan restaurant Boulud Sud.
Another friend was former Gambino family enforcer turned celebrity author John Alite, who testified against mobster John Gotti in 2008, and has written several books about his time in the underworld.
“She’s a goodhearted woman, but she was having a hard time financially,” Alite told The Post Wednesday. “We were friends. She used to help me pick out gifts for my girlfriends.”
Love rival Doug Norton, who sang Bon Jovi’s “Always” with Arslanian on Christmas Eve 2017, tells The Post that she started dating both him and Menendez soon after, and that police became involved.New York Post
Financially pressed, Arslanian moved daughter Sabine and son Andre from the Lycée to public schools closer to the family’s home.
“It was a great little family, really tight-knit,” said Michael Mathews, who used to date Sabine, whom he met when they both attended Cresskill High School. “Nadine was a sweetheart and a very caring mother who did everything she could for her kids, even though she barely had enough to get by.”
Mathews, who used to work as a paralegal in Anton’s New Jersey law office, said he sometimes helped out by picking up Arslanian’s kids from school.
“Sometimes she only had $20, and gave it to me for gas so that I could pick them up, ” he said. “She had a horrible financial situation and had to do odd jobs. She sometimes helped a friend who was a hair stylist.”
Anton and Arslanian were guests at a restaurant opening in Englewood Cliffs in April 2016.Jeremy Smith / imageSPACEArslanian with Anton and her daughter Sabine in 2016. Anton said that Menendez tried to “bully” him out of the picture by dispatching Capitol Hill police officers to his New Jersey office.New York Post
Despite her financial troubles, she kept up her relationship with Anton, and on Christmas Eve in 2017 the couple lovingly sang Bon Jovi’s “Always” together.
But a few days later, on January 1, 2018, she picked up the phone to wish her friend Sen. Menendez a happy 64th birthday — and her life changed.
Menendez was fresh from his bribery trial ending in a hung jury, and at the time was expecting to be retried.
The Department of Justice dropped the charges after the Supreme Court narrowed the definition of bribing a public official.
Menendez asked if she was still dating “that Doug lawyer,” and told her that he had been in love with her since 2008, said Anton.
For the next several months, Arslanian dated both men “on and off,” Anton told The Post, adding that the situation was fraught with tension and jealousy.
At one point, in May 2018, Menendez dispatched two Capitol Police officers to Anton’s office in Hackensack, Anton said.
“He wanted to bully me out of the picture,” said Anton. “As soon as they left, I had my security team sweep the building.”
Arslanian was carrying a $2,300 quilted Chanel bag when she arrived at court Wednesday with Menendez for both to plead not guilty to corruption charges which could put them behind bars for 45 years. AFP via Getty ImagesMenendez and Arslanian now share the Englewood home which she came close to losing. It was where the FBI found cash and gold bars in a raid last year.Christopher Sadowski
A spokesperson for Capitol Police refused to comment Thursday, and Anton told The Post that nothing ever came of the visit from the police.
Arslanian was broke and facing foreclosure on her Bergen County home at the time, but she had a weakness for designer outfits and a taste for the high-life.
Prosecutors said she was unemployed.
“She was in this fancy Cinderella role when she started dating Menendez,” a friend said.
Arslanian appears to have been drawn to Menendez’s power and access to the high life.
During their romance, Menendez invited the statuesque blonde to high-level meetings with dignitaries, and even offered to help her with a job, friends told The Post.
Although friends warned Arslanian against dating the senator, she seemed giddy with excitement, they said.
During their whirlwind romance, Senator Menendez invited Arslanian to meetings with dignitaries at his Senate office. Wael Hana — who is also charged in the federal bribery scheme — stands at Arslanian’s left.New York PostMenendez and Arslanian pose with her two children, Andre and Sabine. A friend said she could no longer afford to send them to an elite private school after her divorce from her first husband.Nadine Arslanian / Armenian Report
“He sold her a dream,” said Alite. “I told her, ‘Nadine, this guy’s… not for you.’ He really manipulated her. She thought she was going to marry Doug, but Menendez wooed her away. He manipulated her; he made her feel important. He was promising her the world.”
For Arslanian, who was facing foreclosure on her Englewood Cliffs property, the prospect of being the senator’s girlfriend seemed too good to be true.
Soon she started traveling with Menendez on trips to Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos, as well as Colombia and Greece.
“She did like high-end things,” said Mathews. “She cared about materialistic things, and in many ways was a very gullible person especially if someone had money and power.”
Federal prosecutors claim that Arslanian received a Mercedes convertible as part of the bribery scheme.U.S. Attorneyâs Office
Menendez wooed her in other ways.
He worked hard to convince the US Senate to adopt a resolution recognizing the Armenian genocide — an issue that was of paramount importance to her family, especially her father, now 93.
“It’s very hard when I think about what they went through,” Arslanian said. “My paternal grandfather’s dream was to have the world recognize what we went through.”
Federal authorities seized gold bars and nearly $500,000 in cash during a raid at the couple’s home in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, last year.APProsecutors seized $150,000 worth of gold bars last summer after a raid of the couple’s Bergen County home last year.U.S. Attorneyâs Office
On Dec. 12, 2019, Menendez announced that the resolution had passed the Senate and choked up when he made the televised announcement.
He texted Arslanian, by then his fiancée, that afternoon: “Truth, perseverance and a commitment to a cause greater than yourself, in honor of your family, and all who suffered, I hope your father was watching,” read the text that Arslanian shared on the podcast. He added “Never Forget” in Armenian script.
“He is very, very caring, almost to a fault,” Arslanian said about Menendez on the podcast. “Whatever he does, I support him.”
Menendez proposed to Arslanian in front of the Taj Mahal on an official trip to India in 2019.
This was the text Menendez send Arslanian when the Senate passed a resolution recognizing the Armenian genocide. In Armenian he wrote: “Never forget.”Nadine Arslanian / Armenian Report
He sang “Never Enough” from “The Greatest Showman” before presenting her with a ring.
The couple married in an Armenian church in Bayside, Queens, in October, 2020.
In an interview with the New York Times’ “Vows” column he claimed they had only met in December 2019, long after photographs show them together.
Now friends fear that the senator may throw his wife under the bus to save his career.
Menendez serenaded his then-girlfriend Nadine Arslanian in front of the Taj Mahal when he proposed in 2019. The couple claimed it was on Princess Diana’s bench, although it was actually on a different bench.Robert&Nadine/YouTube
“She’s a victim,” said Alite. “Trust me 110 percent, this guy manipulated the s–t out of her. He used her and manipulated her. As a senator, he’s a half-a–ed gangster.”
Attorneys representing both Arslanian and Menendez did not return requests for comment.
