Tomson & Parish Play The Cruisin Grand

Randy Clark of Hot Rods & Custom Stuff cruises down Grand Avenue in his V8 powered '32 roadster

Pusser's Troubadours, Tomson & Parish, are playing through September at the Jalapeno Grill & Cantina Steahouse on Grand Avenue in Escondido, CA, in their second season of playing for the Crusin Grand.

"Crusin Grand" happens every year in Escondido, California, and has hot rodders from around San Diego gather every Friday night to show of their rides, eat at Grand Avenue's restaurants, listen to great tunes, and do a little Cruisin'. They park up and down Grand Avenue and the foot traffic checks them out. It runs every Friday from 6:00 to 10:00 and draws big crowds. The organisers have guest bands play in front of the bank at the corner of Maple and Grand and Tomson & Parish will be guesting there too.

Beginning in April and running thru September, Cruisin Grand has grown into a Friday Night event that draws visitors from all corners of San Diego County and beyond. Cruisin' Grand has become not only the #1 car cruise in the US, but also, the heart of Escondido. Downtown Escondido sidewalks were jammed with classic car fans of all ages when the event kicked off on Friday night (April 4), as Cruisin' Grand kicked off its ninth year of bringing colorful hot rods and bruising muscle cars to town.

Look out for Tomson & Parish with Pusser's goodies..

HMS Belfast Russia-Britain VE Day Celebration on the Thames - with a Tot

Russian veterans of the Arctic Convoy from the north Russian town of Archangelsk and British veterans of the Arctic Convoy from the Royal and Merchant Navy will celebrate their VE Day together in London on May 9th.

 

In an official awards ceremony, hosted by Russian news agency Interfax, to be privately held on HMS Belfast, the 60-year anniversary Victory medal, known as the "Russian Arctic Medal", will be presented to a number of British veterans in the presence of HRH Prince Michael of Kent, HE the Ambassador of the Russian Federation, Yury Fedotov and a number dignitaries. HRH Prince Michael of Kent will deliver the official commemorative message from HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. A special medal will be handed to HMS Belfast to be held in her care, honouring all crew members who are no longer with us. The Royal Signals Band will perform military music during the event, ending with the last post and followed by a minute silence. The Russian and British anthems will be accompanied by a gun salute by HMS Belfast from her 4-inch guns. The long abolished naval tradition of Pusser's Rum "Up Spirits!" will be re-enacted on the armours deck to complete the ceremony.

 

The VE Day event on 9th May 2008 will start at 15.00. After the ceremony, the party will move on to the touring boat Miyuki, which will take the veterans on a Thames cruise. The Tower Bridge will open in honour of the veterans. At 18:00, a larger celebration party will continue on The London Regalia by London Bridge. Russo-British City community will celebrate the victory of the allies.

 

HMS Belfast played an important role during the Second World War. She played a key role in the sinking of the German Battle Cruiser Sharnhorst and, took part in the Artic Convoys. Belfast  opened fire on the D-Day beaches at 05.30am, 6 June 1944, supporting the landing of British and Canadian troops on Gold and Juno beaches and played an integral part in Operation Overlord, the campaign, which ultimately provided the turning point in the Second World War and led to victory in Europe.  Picture above, re-enactors taking a break by the 4inch guns on HMS Belfast during a week of D-Day activities.

 

  Black Tot Day

 

 The history of rum in Great Britain's Royal Navy was largely that of social change, both in England and the Royal Navy. From 1650 throughout the 18th century, shipboard life was incredibly difficult. The daily issue of Pusser's Rum was the highlight of the day. Then, too in those days, battles were fought "eyeball-to-eyeball".

 

The mental alertness and courage required to pack a cannonball into a muzzle loader were far different from that required to operate the modern weapon systems of today. Thus in 1970, the Admiralty Board decreed that there was no place for the daily issue of rum in a modern navy, and so ended the daily issue of Pusser's Rum in the Royal Navy on July 31st, 1970.

 

This date since then, is referred to "Black Tot Day". The rum issue, one of the longest and unbroken traditions in seafaring history, ended as the last tot of Pusser's was drunk on board Their Majesties Ships. "Round the world" in every ship of the Navy, glasses were raised in their final salute. 'The Queen'!", they said, and it's no exaggeration to say that at that moment many a strong man shed a tear at the passing of a tradition so old and fine, that was to be no more.

A Tot For Aldershot FC

Back in 1992 Aldershot Football Club went bankrupt and a new club was formed. Aldershot is the home of the British Army and the Army did get a “tot” - it was served in the trenches before you went over the top. A Pussers Decanter was presented on the basis that it could only be opened when they got back to national league – this they achieved this year.

True to their promises the Pussers flagon was opened on Tuesday, April 15th. This was initiated by Mr Mike “Pussers UK” Fogg who has found new fame on TV and radio. The ceremony took place on the pitch, in front of 6,000 people - Mike performed the 'uncorking' ceremony and glasses were raised to toast the Club's success.

The event attracted widespread media coverage in newspapers and on regional TV.

Pusser's spliced the Main Brace at the Wooden Boat Festival held in Sydney, Australia, on March 8 &

Sydney's fun-for-everyone harbourside celebration was bigger than ever with more than 100 superb boats - from graceful yachts to streamlined speedboats - and a festive marketplace selling all things nautical and an outstanding display of boating products. Visitors could discover the skills of traditional maritime craftsmen including blacksmiths, rope knotters, caulkers and sailmakers. Old favourites including the Deckhands' Line-throwing Competition returned.

Other activities and events included: hundreds of magnificent visiting vessels at the wharves; gleaming classic speedsters, dories, dinghies, skiffs and canoes; traditional maritime crafts and demonstrations by skilled craftsmen; heritage boat rides; giant model display; a working marine engine display; and of course, the "single malt of rum" Pusser's.

Pusser's was given the unenviable task of selecting two prize winners for "Best Presented Vessel" and "Best Dressed Vessel".

"Fare Thee Well", a 40 foot Allan Payne designed yacht, earned "Best Presented" honours. She was built in 1964 in a church in Queensland and apparently they ran out of timber and some of her timbers have come out of that church….(only in Australia!). The owner's name is Clive Gregory (below left) and he told us that he had just spent a full year restoring her to her immaculate condition.

"Best dressed" was a 23 foot Gaff Rigger – Canoe Stern Yawl - called "MS Molly" - patterned after a Thames River Fishing Boat circa 1830s. In the foreground below holding their Pussers mugs are the proud owners John and Sue Dikeman. The Pusser's team met John and Sue at the welcome barbecue on Friday night and John said, "I have to have a decanter"….and throughout the festival he kept on finding the Pusser's team to tell them that he intended to buy one.

When the "MS Molly" was selected no-one knew that she was owned by John. Words cannot describe his reaction when he was summoned to the presentation stage to be told he had won the prize for "Best Dressed Vessel". He literally went in to orbit and was dancing around the stage saying he couldn't believe it…….John and Sue have lived in Australia for the last 41 years having left Long Beach California and were recently in the US Virgin Islands. Of course, when we told them the Pusser's story they were miffed that they were so close but didn't get to Tortola.

RumFest London

The UK's first annual RumFest was held late October and what would a RumFest be without Pusser's Rum particularly on the anniversary of the Battle Of Trafalgar?

This great celebration of rum at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London was the first festival of its kind seen in the UK. The show was packed on both days, very much lead by rum enthusiasts on the Saturday and industry professionals on the Sunday.

The PUSSER'S 15 Year Old stole the show and two new cocktails were introduced: Pussers Green Tea Treacle and the B.V.I. Tai. In addition to manning our popular stand, the PUSSER'S crew also held a one hour demo showcasing PUSSER'S, cocktails new and old, and imparting the history and legends of PUSSER'S Rum to a rapt audience.