During August, a new-to-Clarendon exercise studio opened up (in the former Urban Kempo space) called Club Pilates. It is a full-body, reformer-based workout studio that holds classes seven days a week. It requires for you wear grippy socks, but every other piece of equipment you need is provided for you.

What is pilates (pronounced puh·laa·teez)? It is a low-impact, full-body workout system developed by Joseph Pilates that focuses on controlled movements to build core strength, flexibility, and posture. It involves precise exercises, mindful breathing, and a strong mind-body connection to create balanced and stable muscles—increasing your mobility, balance, and strength.

What makes the classes different at Club Pilates than other Pilates-type classes you may have taken (like mat classes) is that a portion of each class uses a specialized piece of exercise equipment called a reformer. The reformer has a bed-like frame with a sliding carriage, and is connected to springs that provide resistance. It is used to perform a wide variety of exercises that build strength, flexibility, and balance by pushing and pulling against the resistance provided by the springs. The machine is known for being low-impact, making it suitable for beginners, athletes, and those recovering from injuries.

Club Pilates incorporates the use of other equipment as well, including spring boards, Bosu balls, hand weights, squishy balls, TRX, Exo-Chairs, and other items, allowing for the instructors to provide a unique (and non-boring!) exercise experience during each class. 

Interested in giving it a try? The studio offers a free 30-minute introductory class multiple times a week, which introduces their state-of-the-art equipment, studio, workout, and amazing staff. Classes are held seven days a week, starting as early as 5:30 a.m. and running until as late as 8:30 p.m. Please see the full schedule on their website for more details.

Club Pilates Clarendon (3000 Washington Blvd., entrance is at 10th Street N and N Highland Street). Phone number is (571) 517-8219. Visit their website https://www.clubpilates.com/location/clarendon for class descriptions and more information. 

By Sophie Oberstein

Many people are familiar with Sushi JIP because of its prominent location at the busy intersection at the corner of Washington Boulevard and 10th Street. They’ve seen the sign as they’ve walked past, or the lovely outdoor seating area, but maybe never been inside the spacious dining room. Still others are familiar with the Japanese restaurant that occupied this spot before its current incarnation as Sushi JIP. 

In September 2024, a local Virginia family took over the management. Their new website proclaims, “Our story begins with a profound love for authentic flavors and a vision to redefine sushi dining.” That new definition includes some unusual Signature Rolls (like the Too Too Funky (with mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, crab, avocado, bacon bits, sour cream and cinnamon honey)) and what my neighbor, who joined me there for lunch last week called, their “flair.” Beautifully decorated dishes arrive adorned with rocks, branches, flowers, and, in the case of my sashimi platter, flashing lights.

At lunch on a Wednesday, my neighbor and I, at first, had the large indoor space (about 50 seats) to ourselves, though more people trickled in as we ate. Weekdays are not busy here, we were told, but weekends, especially for dinner, are more crowded and a reservation is a good idea. 

Tables are set with cute chopstick holders and a buzzer that can be used to summon wait staff when you are ready to order or need something. Though, even without the buzzer, staff was very attentive and food was delivered quickly.

The menu for rolls, sushi, sashimi, poke, and combination platters is extensive – almost overwhelming. And if raw fish isn’t your thing, you can order from the Kitchen/Noodles, Hibachi (food grilled over an open flame), or Vegetable Roll sections of the menu. We tried Shrimp Shumai as an appetizer, Bulgogi Fried Rice, and one of their Signature Rolls, the Double Salmon (The aforementioned flashing sashimi dish was from a prior visit). There was a special lunch menu because we happened to be there during Restaurant Week, but there aren’t usually the more traditional Japanese lunch options, like a bento box. 

The fish was definitely the standout, even if, as my companion pointed out, there is no elegant way to eat some of the towering rolls (so maybe not the best place for a first date). Portions are large and the fish fresh and delicious. The manager explained that they are committed to keeping the fish fresh by only ordering a certain amount daily and having it delivered by a local trading distributor.

It’s on the expensive side, but that seems par for the course for this cuisine. They also provide catering and host private parties. If you are a sushi lover, Sushi JIP will not disappoint.

Sushi JIP (3000 Washington Blvd): Hours of operation are 11:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m.–10:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Sunday. Phone number is 703-243-7799. Visit the website: https://sushijip.com/ for more information.  

By Sophie Oberstein

Last Friday night, my husband and I had a delicious meal – and a brief insight into the history of downtown Clarendon – at Nam Viet. An old school Vietnamese restaurant on North Hudson Street, half a block from the metro station, Nam Viet has been a staple in the neighborhood since the 1980’s.

As its menu states: “What began as a humble 15-seat eatery on Highland Street in Arlington in 1986 has grown into one of the longest-standing Vietnamese restaurants in the region—and one of the last remaining from Clarendon’s historic “Little Saigon” era.” The Nguyen Van Thoi family, has operated the restaurant since its opening.

On the corner of Hudson Street and Wilson Boulevard, a plaque commemorates Clarendon’s past as one of the many “Little Saigons” in the U.S., where refugees settled after the Fall of Saigon in 1975. According to Wikipedia, “the Washington metropolitan area was a desirable choice for Vietnamese immigrants to settle for several reasons. Many of the first-wave Vietnamese immigrants had ties to the U.S. government or the embassy… Once the first wave of immigrants settled in Arlington, existing family and social ties established the network for future immigrants to join this population.”

They were also arriving at an opportune moment: Clarendon center was in decline, with many vacant storefronts, due to competition from regional shopping or strip malls. Disruptive construction of the Metro station created conditions conducive to cheap, short-term commercial leases, some as low as $1.50 to $5 a square foot, and Vietnamese refugees took this opportunity to open businesses and support their families.

From the late 70’s to early 80’s, a variety of Vietnamese-owned shops and restaurants flourished, until the opening of the Metro station led to new development and higher rents. Many of the businesses closed or moved, often to Eden Center in Falls Church. Nam Viet is one of the few that remains.

So, that’s the history part of our evening. Check out the Wikipedia entry for more – it’s fascinating: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Saigon,_Arlington,_Virginia

Now, on to the restaurant.

The atmosphere at Nam Viet is pretty low key. When you walk in, you’ll be face-to-face with a wall of photographs of former POWs and dignitaries who have eaten here, including three U.S. Presidents. Supporting POWs is part of the history of Nam Viet, whose founder was an interpreter in the U.S. Army and became a POW himself.

What the décor lacks, the food more than makes up for. Nam Viet boasts an extensive menu of chef specialties, grilled entrees, soups, and a robust vegetarian section, which we’re always looking out for, for my husband. The food is made from recipes passed down generations using local, seasonal ingredients.

We ordered Fresh Garden Rolls, Five Spiced Tofu, and Stir-Fried Eggplant with beef. We’d had some of the more traditional dishes, like the Vietnamese Crepe, on a prior visit. Each dish was fresh and delicious. Portions are huge, so we ended up taking home about half of what we were served. Walking home, I was already excited to enjoy my leftovers the next day.

Service is fast and welcoming. The owners of the restaurant are very transparent and communicative, from signs on the front door alerting people that the AC is strong in the summertime, to an explanation on their website of why they stopped taking orders over the phone (you can order for pick up or delivery on their website).

Walk-ins are welcome. On a Friday night, about half of the restaurant’s 80 seats were taken. Reservations are recommended if you have more than five people in your party. The price of our meal, including tip – and abundant leftovers – was $63.

We will definitely be back to Nam Viet, for a terrific meal and a slice of Clarendon history.

Nam Viet (1127 N. Hudson St.): Hours of operation are
11:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, Sunday
from 11:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. Phone number is 703–522–
Visit the website: www.namvietva.com for more information.