IOWA CITY, Iowa — As I sat at a corner table inside another Courtyard by Marriott over the weekend, a floor-to-ceiling window protecting me from the 25-degree chill on a dreary morning, it struck me how much easier this would all be to do from home.
Nap until game time. Pick up the remote. Get a closeup view of every play.
Of course, that approach would also have deprived me — and Times readers — of so much over the last 10 years of being the only full-time traveling beat writer with the UCLA men’s basketball team.
Feeling a piece of stray confetti float against my cheek inside Lucas Oil Stadium after the Bruins reached the Final Four.
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Seeing Prince Ali bound down a hallway inside Oregon’s Matthew Knight Arena while yelling, “This is highway robbery, baby!” after the Bruins came back from nine points down with 51 seconds left.
Chatting with master storyteller Hep Cronin inside Kentucky’s Rupp Arena the day before an NCAA tournament game.
Interviewing Jaime and Angela Jaquez poolside in Maui before their son and daughter became on-campus celebrities.
People like to say they have the best seat in the house. Mine has often been 11F, window, on a United Airlines flight to some far-flung game that has made me cherish this decade of memories inside arenas all over the country.
There’s been so much more besides the palpable tension one can only feel sitting courtside, or in one of the media seats increasingly far removed from courtside in recent seasons. I caught a glimpse of Jake Kyman’s teammates dousing him with water after he made seven three-pointers against Washington and assistant coach Rod Palmer obligingly pushed the locker room door open a little wider than usual on his way out. Scanned cardboard cutouts of fans and pets inside San Diego State’s Viejas Arena. Wrote on deadline at Colorado while a trash collector roamed the stands blaring old Pink Floyd favorites from his boom box.
Yes, there have been annoying travel delays, crummy hotels and way too much time spent away from home. (A quick check of my Lifetime Titanium Elite status with Marriott shows 1,592 nights — the equivalent of nearly 4½ years — since 2003 while traveling for The Times in a variety of roles.)
But this is something I’m thrilled just to have the chance to do.
It takes an incredible financial commitment in a time of shrinking media resources to send someone on the road for every game with a college basketball team in 2026. That’s why I’m so grateful to my bosses for letting me take all these trips over the years.
Fortunately, I’m not the only one who realizes how special this is. Every time he sees me at a road game, Chris Carlson, UCLA’s longtime associate athletic director, has made a point to thank me for being there. He did it again Saturday, inside a club room deep within Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena, after UCLA’s frantic rally had fallen short against the Hawkeyes.
Fans often ask me if I travel on the team plane. That would be a resounding no, leading to innumerable layovers at Chicago O’Hare on the way to somewhere else in Big Ten country while the Bruins travel nonstop via charter. I don’t mind in the least.
Life on the road with the Bruins always packs a wallop, even during down seasons. A few years ago, during coach Mick Cronin’s only losing season with the team, it had just snowed in Pullman, Wash., when I exited a regional jet onto an icy outdoor ramp. I took two steps and fell backward onto my head with such a violent thud that my glasses flew back into the cabin. (I survived, or you wouldn’t be reading this.)
Along the way, there’s been far more laughter than frustration, let alone the need to Google “subdural hematoma.”
I’ve enjoyed every destination in an old conference (Pac-12) without truck stops and a new one (Big Ten) with plenty. I’ve sparked a Twitter war with the Memphis International Airport over a baggage office being closed shortly after sundown. I’ve stood in a hallway when coach Steve Alford threw his players under the bus at Cincinnati — “If you lose,” Alford said, “you get in the gym on your day off and you figure things out, not wait and get in the gym when we meet with you” — not long before the firing of Alford led to the hiring of Cincinnati’s coach.
I’ve heard that new coach — Cronin — yell at his team from two rooms over inside T-Mobile Arena after a loss to Baylor. I’ve also heard Cronin’s teams silence arenas with huge early runs against Stanford, Marquette, Maryland and San Diego State.
Traveling to cover the Bruins has had its side benefits, of course. I’ve seen family in Portland, visited wine country in the Willamette and Napa valleys and taken memorable trips to Arizona and the Bay Area during the COVID-19 season in 2020-21. The enduring image from those trips was the bizarre game against Stanford in Santa Cruz (because of health restrictions in Palo Alto), which featured an equally bizarre ending on an inbounds pass to Cardinals forward Oscar da Silva for a buzzer-beating layup.
There have been white-knuckle prop plane flights from Seattle to Pullman and white-knuckle drives across the Bay Bridge thanks to gephyrophobia. Tense drives from Spokane to Pullman because of the dreaded Colfax speed trap and walls of fog that can blindside you like a fearsome backcourt press.
Including stints covering USC basketball and an additional UCLA season under coach Ben Howland, I’ve logged three trips to the Maui Invitational — including one played in Honolulu — one to the old Great Alaska Shootout and one to Mexico for an exhibition game. The one trip that I really wanted to take — to China in 2017 — and was told no because a boss didn’t think it would be worthwhile ended in an international ordeal. Maybe it was the basketball gods’ way of telling him to keep me on the road.
As the pandemic made the prospect of taking flights seem perilous during the 2020-21 season, I covered a handful of road games off television. Admittedly, it was great to get replays and instant injury reports before hopping on a Zoom for postgame interviews.
But something just didn’t feel right. It wasn’t until the Bruins made the NCAA tournament and I accompanied them for every game on that unforgettable run in central Indiana that I fully understood one of the most important rules of quality coverage.
Being there matters.
Olympic sport of the week: Women’s gymnastics
Jordan Chiles helped UCLA rally to win the Best of the West Quad in Seattle by placing first in all four events.
(Courtesy of Jamie Mitchell)
Trailing California after two rotations in its season-opening meet, the UCLA women’s gymnastics team could rely on something else no one had in its comeback bid.
Jordan Chiles.
Predictably, the Olympic gold medalist helped the fourth-ranked Bruins rally to win the Best of the West Quad at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle by placing first in all four events.
Sticking her double layout dismount on the uneven bars, Chiles scored a 9.925 to help UCLA overtake the No. 20 Golden Bears and move into third place after the third rotation. Chiles topped herself with maybe her best beam performance at the college level, earning a 10 from one of the two judges and a 9.975 score.
UCLA senior Ciena Alipio contributed a 9.925 on the beam, helping her team edge Cal, 196.875 to 196. Host Washington finished third with 195.625 and No. 19 Oregon State was fourth with 195.550.
The Bruins next face No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 2 LSU and No. 5 Utah on Saturday at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad in West Valley City, Utah. The meet will be televised live on ABC at 1 p.m. PST.
Opinion time
With two months left before the NCAA tournament, UCLA men’s basketball is teetering on the bubble, with bracketmatrix.com — an aggregator of bracket projections — listing the Bruins as a No. 9 seed before they lost to Iowa on Saturday. Where do you think UCLA finds itself on Selection Sunday?
An elite finish leads to a protected seed
A solid Big Ten run puts it in Nos. 5-7 range
The Bruins just barely make it into the tournament
They’re left out for the second time in three years
We asked, “What was your favorite UCLA sports moment of 2025?”
After 453 votes, the results:
The women’s basketball team’s trip to the Final Four, 49% The men’s water polo team’s national championship, 21% The football team’s three-game winning streak, 19% The baseball team makes the College World Series, 9% The softball team makes the Women’s College World Series, 2%
Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email me at ben.bolch@latimes.com, and follow me on X @latbbolch. To order an autographed copy of my book, “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die,” send me an email. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Antiques Road Trip star Angus Ashworth has shared the items he would most like to find in his work, including rare Victoria Cross and Napoleonic War medals
The star is a fan of military history(Image: Really screengrab)
Antiques Road Trip’s Angus Ashworth has disclosed his ultimate discovery – and it could command a staggering price. The seasoned antiques specialist and auctioneer, a familiar face on BBC’s Antiques Road Trip and his own programme, The Yorkshire Auction House, has encountered countless valuable treasures throughout his career.
However, he’s opened up about specific pieces he’s particularly keen to stumble upon. “I love military history, so my dream find would be a Victoria Cross or an Army Gold Medal from the Napoleonic Wars,” he revealed. “That’s the holy grail for me.”
When discussing potential values, the expert estimated between £60,000 and £80,000 for an Army Gold Cross medal. Angus also presents Yorkshire Heritage Hero, which follows him exploring Yorkshire’s magnificent country estates, assisting families in discovering valuable pieces from their properties.
He pinpoints critical repair needs and generates funding for restoration projects by unearthing and auctioning concealed treasures found within these historic residences.
The presenter observed: “No one has an ‘antiques sale’ anymore – these days it’s always a ‘country house sale’. People have really bought into the idea of this quintessentially British interior look. The public fascination provides potential to keep things above water.
“There’s a huge second-hand market for items such as dark furniture, lighting and table lamps, and soft furnishings – so curtains, cushions and rugs,” he added. “And there’s one place in particular worth checking: the garden shed.
“There can be real value in the garden and what’s in the shed – my day job is as an auctioneer, and I can see a huge interest and value in decorative pieces for the garden, from plant pots to benches.”
He also highlighted that 90s nostalgia items like games consoles and Harry Potter first editions are hot commodities among buyers looking to recapture their youth.
“You can even see it in the classic car world,” he added. “The market for people who dreamed of owning an MG has shrunk, while Ford Escorts are now far more desirable because that’s what people remember wanting.”
Last month, viewers of Antiques Roadshow watched in amazement as a man was adamant he wouldn’t sell his family heirloom, despite learning its eye-watering value.
As experts looked at a timepiece, horological expert Alastair Chandler hailed it “a real classic”. The Speedmaster watch belonged to the guest’s father, who only wore it on special occasions throughout his son’s childhood.
ATLANTA — The Rams already knew they will be on the road for the playoffs, a difficult assignment for any team.
It’s trending toward becoming one especially tough for the Rams, who only a few weeks ago appeared to be the class of the NFC, if not the NFL.
Not anymore.
On Monday night, the Rams for much of their game against the Atlanta Falcons, looked like a team on the road to nowhere. Or one more interested in limping through the end of the regular season before turning it on for the playoffs.
Gary Klein breaks down what went wrong for the Rams in their 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.
It was the Rams’ second loss in a row, both coming on the road.
“Here we are again in a disappointing situation,” coach Sean McVay said.
The loss dropped the Rams to 11-5 going into Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium.
On Saturday, the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers will play for the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Rams are seeded No. 6. If the Seahawks defeat the 49ers, and the Rams beat the Cardinals, the Rams could move up to No. 5.
McVay said starters would play against the Cardinals rather than rest for the playoffs.
“They were going to play anyways,” McVay said. “We need to play better football.”
Way better.
Defensive lineman Kobie Turner said McVay told the team that if they play in the wild-card round like they did on Monday night, they were going to be sitting on their couches watching the rest of the postseason.
“It’s the reality of the situation,” Turner said, adding, “I back him. … That’s not where we want to be.”
The Rams have no choice about where they will begin their postseason as they attempt to earn a Super Bowl berth for the third time in McVay’s nine seasons.
They will not be at SoFi Stadium, where they have lost only once this season. The Rams’ other losses — to Philadelphia, Carolina, Seattle and Atlanta — came on the road.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford tries to avoid diving Atlanta Falcons linebacker Khalid Kareem during the second half of the Rams’ 27-24 loss Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
(Brynn Anderson / Associated Press)
Monday’s defeat by the Falcons (7-9), coming on the heels of their 38-37 overtime loss in Seattle on Dec. 18, gave the Rams consecutive road games defeats for the first time since the start of the 2024 season, when they lost their opener in overtime at Detroit and then got routed at Arizona.
Players could not explain Monday night’s first-half malaise.
“It’s a little embarrassing because we preach about the things we want to get done, and we know how good we can be,” offensive lineman Steve Avila said. “And today was probably the worst we’ve ever shown.”
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford moved past Ben Roethlisberger into sixth place on the NFL’s all-time passing yards list, but there was not much to be happy about on a night that had set up as a possible MVP-clinching stage.
Stafford completed 22 of 38 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns but had three passes intercepted, including one that was returned for a touchdown.
“I obviously didn’t play well enough,” he said. “That’s what it is.”
Rams coach Sean McVay speaks with quarterback Matthew Stafford in the fourth quarter Monday against the Falcons.
(Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
The first half was a nightmare for Stafford, who went into the game with a league-leading 40 touchdown passes and only five interceptions.
The Falcons built a 21-0 halftime lead on Bijan Robinson’s touchdown catch, Jessie Bates III’s interception return for a touchdown and Robinson’s 93-yard touchdown run, which came one play after Xavier Watts got the first of his two interceptions.
Robinson finished with 195 yards rushing and also caught a touchdown pass.
If there was a bright spot for the Rams, it was special teams. Just over a week after McVay elevated Ben Kotwica to replace fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn, Jared Verse blocked a field-goal attempt and returned it 76 yards for a touchdown that cut the Falcons’ lead to 24-17 with less than a minute left in the third quarter.
The Rams’ chances for a comeback appeared to end when Watts intercepted another pass with just more than nine minutes left.
But Stafford’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Puka Nacua tied the score with 2:46 left.
Gonzalez’s field goal put the Falcons ahead by three.
Stafford got the ball one last time, but he missed a wide-open Xavier Smith on a route, and Tutu Atwell and Nacua could not come up with deep passes. With five seconds left, Stafford’s fourth-down pass to Nacua fell incomplete.
So instead of resting for the playoffs, starters will try to get the Rams back on track in the season finale.
“We don’t need rest right now,” Turner said. “We need momentum.”
Tehran, Iran – Iran’s currency has been registering new lows amid ongoing economic turmoil that is also reflected in a planned budget for next year that effectively shrinks public spending.
Each United States dollar was priced at about 1.36 million rials in the open market on Wednesday in Tehran, its highest rate ever, before the Iranian currency slightly regained ground on Thursday.
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The embattled national currency has been rapidly declining over recent weeks as the US and its Western allies pile on their sanctions and diplomatic pressure, and the threat of another war with Israel lingers.
President Masoud Pezeshkian this week sent his administration’s finalised proposed budget to the hardline-dominated parliament for the upcoming Iranian calendar year, which starts in late March. The budget will then have to be greenlit by the 12-member Guardian Council before being ratified into law in the coming weeks.
The presented budget nominally grew by just over 5 percent compared with last year, but inflation currently stands at about 50 percent – indicating that the government envisions lower spending while managing a so-called “resistance economy” as it faces a massive budget crunch yet again.
But minimum wages are to be raised far below the inflation rate, too, at only 20 percent, meaning that Iranians are once more guaranteed to have far less spending power next year as the embattled national currency sinks.
Iranians view decorations as they prepare to celebrate the Yalda feast, an ancient tradition marking the onset of winter and the longest night of the year, in Tehran, Iran, on December 20, 2025 [Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA]
At the same time, the budget says the government sees taxes rising by a massive 62 percent next year, as authorities try to gradually decrease dependence on oil revenues amid US efforts to drive down Iranian exports, which are carried by a shadow fleet of ships mostly to China.
At the current exchange rate, the whole budget is worth about $106bn, several times lower than the projected 2026 budgets of regional players like Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Israel.
Iran’s rent-distributing multi-tier exchange rate system is still at play, with the government proposing allocating a rate for customs duties, import valuation and budget accounting tables, and another closer to the open market rate used for oil revenue realisation.
An earlier subsidised exchange rate, which was far lower than the open market rate, has now been abandoned. Any excess cash resulting from this is expected to be doled out to low-income Iranians in the form of electronic coupons that can be used to buy essential items like food.
For the first time, the budget is drafted in new rials as four zeros are expected to be removed from the ailing national currency by the time the budget is operational for next year.
After years of back and forth, the parliament in October approved the government plan to lop off four zeros. The move is only cosmetic and will not help with the runaway inflation, but proponents argued it was necessary after years of currency devaluation.
Budget spells grim outlook
Several major factors have already been raising alarm over how bad the economic situation could become next year.
Iranians online reacted poorly to the fact that the government predicts wages will be far outpaced by inflation and tax collection. Others were concerned that eliminating the subsidised rate for essential goods could cause another price shock in the short term.
Many shared a video of Pezeshkian from last year running for president, when he said during a televised interview that the stark disparity between wage increases and inflation is a “grave injustice” being done to the Iranian people.
“Unfortunately, so long as we do not resolve the structural issues, we are making labourers and government workers poorer by the day while those with money get bigger and bigger,” Pezeshkian said at the time.
“This inflation is an additional tax on the poor and the disenfranchised.”
Iranian women shop in a local market as the value of the Iranian rial drops, in Tehran, Iran, on December 20, 2025 [Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters]
But successive governments have failed to eliminate budget deficits or rein in banks teetering on the brink of insolvency, therefore relying on the central bank to print more money to run the country and, in turn, exacerbate inflation.
Earlier in December, the government proceeded with increasing the price cap of petroleum despite repeated assurances it had no plans to that effect this year. The move has already led to increased transport costs, which will end up taking inflation higher.
There are now four price tiers for petroleum, with the cheapest and lowest quality that is available to most Iranians costing up to 50,000 rials per litre (about $1.19) and higher quality imported fuel delivered this week at 800,000 rials per litre ($19).
Hamid Pourmohammadi, who heads the Plan and Budget Organization of Iran, insisted that the government has devised a 20-point plan to be unveiled soon that will reduce pressure on the livelihoods of Iran’s 90 million population.
“The government is trying to adopt an active approach to address the economic challenges of the people, businesses and economists, so there is no perception of complacency in these economic conditions,” he said.
Vince Zampella, the video game developer who helped launch the wildly lucrative and enduring “Call of Duty” franchise and “Apex Legends” studio Respawn Entertainment, has died.
A representative for Electronic Arts, which owns Respawn, confirmed Zampella’s death Monday in a statement shared with The Times. He was 55.
Zampella was one of two people who died Sunday afternoon in a car crash along Angeles Crest Highway, NBC 4 reported. The crash involved a red 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS, and the identities of the deceased are pending release by the county coroner, said California Highway Patrol spokesperson Sgt. Daniel Keene.
Zampella was a noted sports car collector, often sharing photos of his luxury vehicles and visits to car races on Instagram.
“This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince’s family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work,” said the Electronic Arts representative in a statement. “Vince’s influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching.”
The CHP said in a Sunday news release that it received a call at 12:43 p.m. about a crash at Mile Post 62.70 of the scenic drive, which reopened in August after a years-long closure due to storm damage. Officers responded to the scene of the crash, and a preliminary investigation found that a car had been traveling southbound when, “for unknown reasons, the vehicle veered off the roadway, struck a concrete barrier, and became fully engulfed,” according to the release.
“The passenger was ejected from the vehicle, and the driver remained trapped,” the CHP statement said. “Both parties succumbed to their injuries.”
Video emerged online showing a red Ferrari shooting out of a tunnel along the highway at a high speed, slamming into a concrete barrier where the road curved and erupting into flames.
The 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS is a hybrid convertible powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 and an electric motor, producing a combined 819 horsepower.
The CHP said Sunday it was unclear whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash.
Zampella was a formative figure in the modern gaming scene. Alongside Jason West and former creative partner Grant Collier, he co-founded the original “Call of Duty” studio, Infinity Ward, in 2002 and released the first installment of the first-person military shooting game in 2003. Activision acquired the studio that same year. Since its inception, “Call of Duty” has spawned dozens of sequels and spin-offs across various consoles and platforms, most recently “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7,” released in November.
He and West, after an acrimonious split with Activision, founded Respawn Entertainment in 2010. Though West departed Respawn in 2013 due to unspecified family issues, Zampella remained head of the studio, overseeing the creation of titles including “Titanfall,” “Apex Legends” and “Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond.” Additionally, Respawn expanded its lineup with the story-driven “Star Wars” titles “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” and “Star Wars Jedi: Survivor,” starring Cameron Monaghan.
Zampella also led the L.A. branch of Swedish video game developer DICE, which was renamed in 2021 to Ripple Effect Studios, and was appointed to oversee its “Battlefield” franchise.
“A friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator, his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment and inspired millions of players and developers around the world,” Electronic Arts said in its statement. “His legacy will continue to shape how games are made and how players connect for generations to come.”
Zampella is survived by his three children, Quentin, 26; Kyle, 22; and Courtney, 19.
Rea said he was on the dole at the time, his manager had just left him and he had been banned from driving.
His then-girlfriend Joan (who he met when they were both 16 and went on to marry) had to pick him up in London in her mini and drive him home.
That’s what inspired the song, which was written in 1978, 10 years before it was released as a single in 1988.
Asked about what he thinks of when he hears the song, the singer joked about how it bought him “that lovely little holiday in the Maldives”.
The song has since been covered by artists including Engelbert Humperdinck and Stacey Solomon.
Rea was good friends with Mortimer and in 1997 they recorded Let’s Dance for Middlesbrough Football Club’s FA Cup Final.
On Monday evening, Mortimer posted on X: “So so sad. A lovely brilliant funny giant of a bloke. Oh Man… RIP Chris… Boro legend forever. Love to family and friends.”
But alongside the singer-songwriter’s success, he had suffered with various bouts of ill-health over the years.
He had his pancreas removed a few years after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at the age of just 33 in 1994, which meant he developed type 1 diabetes. He later had a stroke in 2016.
Rea (centre) appeared on Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Christmas Fishing in 2020
“None of my heroes were rock stars. I arrived in Hollywood for the Grammy Awards once and thought I was going to bump in to people who mattered, like Ry Cooder or Randy Newman. But I was surrounded by pop stars.”
He added: “The celeb thing has gone totally wrong in the sense that everyone has tried to top each other. They don’t put the work in.”
Speaking of his wife in the same interview, he said: “Our golden moment is each morning when there is an elbow fight over whose turn it is to make the coffee.
“Then there are the large mugs of fresh coffee, BBC Breakfast news or Sky and we gaze out of the window over the countryside for an hour and we are still 16. We are lucky to still have that feeling.”
Rea was born in 1951 in Middlesbrough to an Italian father and Irish mother, and had six siblings. He began his working life helping out with his family’s ice-cream business.
“To be Irish Italian in a coffee bar in Middlesbrough – I started my life as an outsider,” he later said.
Getty Images
Once he found the guitar, he soon began playing in various bands and released his debut album Whatever Happened To Benny Santini? in 1978.
His commercial breakthrough came in the 1980s, as two of his studio albums – The Road To Hell (1989) and Auberge (1991) – went to number one in the UK.
He returned to his blues roots in his later years while facing his health challenges.
After his stroke nine years ago, he recovered to launch a new album, Road Songs For Lovers, in 2017.
He took the album on the road at the end of that year but had to cancel a number of shows after he collapsed mid-song while performing at the New Theatre in Oxford.
Rea released a new album in October 2025, titled The Christmas Album, featuring a remaster of Driving Home For Christmas as well as other festive tracks.
Paying tribute to Rea following his death, journalist Tony Parsons described him as a “top man” and “hugely underrated songwriter”.
TV personality Lizzie Cundy, who appeared in the music video for a 2009 version of Driving Home For Christmas, said that she was “so sad” to hear the musician had died.
“I loved every minute and was an honour to work with him and be in his iconic music video,” she said. “He will always be an inspiration and legend to me.”
Andy McDonald, Labour MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, said he was “very saddened” to hear the news of Rea’s death.
In a post on X, he said: “Chris, a most cherished son of Middlesbrough, will live on through his wonderful music. My sincere condolences to his family.”
Rea and his wife Joan shared two daughters, Josephine and Julia. He credited his family with helping him to cope after his ill health.
“It’s music and family with me. I’m only one of four, that’s how I am,” Rea once said. “I’m 25% of a unit. It’s always been that way and we like it that way. In between that there’s music.”
NESTLED in the Scottish highlands is an island like no other.
Think – vibrant trees that change colour as the seasons do, calm water with a gentle breeze skimming over the surface and cosy cabins with log burners in…
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The island of Eilean Shona is what J.M. Barrie based Neverland onCredit: suppliedIt is located in the Inner Hebrides in ScotlandCredit: TripAdvisorThe island is the perfect place for a retreat in the wildernessCredit: supplied
What you are picturing is Eilean Shona, an island in the Inner Hebrides that has no cars, no roads and no shops.
In fact, only nine people permanently live on the island.
To add to its beauty, the island even inspired J.M Barrie’s Neverland in Peter Pan.
Despite being a private island, visitors can still book to stay on the island and to get there, the residents have to come and collect you by boat.
Once on the island, you can indulge in the ultimate detox from the modern world by heading on hikes, including to the island’s summit and to white sand beaches.
And to add to the magic, a spirits brand was created on Eilean Shona.
Sun Travel spoke to Ed Faulkner, co-founder of Sapling about the brand and the story behind it.
If someone were to planning a restorative road trip in the UK, where should the top stops be?
A Sapling inspired road trip would celebrate quiet luxury, slow living and a deep connection with the natural world.
It could begin at Knepp Wildland in West Sussex, where rewilded meadows and roaming wildlife surround peaceful treehouses.
Then move on to the ancient beech canopy of Blackwood Forest in Hampshire with its inviting woodland trails.
From there, the journey might continue to the historic Blean Woods in Kent and the tranquil off grid cabins at Elmley Nature Reserve.
End among the ancient Caledonian pines that frame the still waters of Loch Tay in Perthshire.
Along the way, the spirit of the trip comes alive in the simple moments, such as enjoying a vodka or gin and tonic after a long walk with the people you care about.
It is a wholesome and grounding pause that brings everyone closer.
It reflects exactly what Sapling stands for, which is connection, presence and celebrating nature together.
The island features no shops and no carsCredit: suppliedSpirits brand Sapling was also created on the islandCredit: supplied
Plus, our expert picks for UK staycation trips to banish post-summer blues – including free hidden gems for kids and £1.50 meals.
The brand focuses on sustainability and the environmentCredit: Alamy
About Sapling
ED Faulkner, co-founder of Sapling, spoke to Sun Travel about the brand…
Scotland’s long been famous for whisky. What inspired you to choose vodka, and did Eilean Shona play a part in that?
We chose vodka because we saw an opportunity to redefine what new luxury means in a category that can often feel excessive and instead focus on purity, quality and creating a spirit that genuinely gives back.
Vodka, at its best, offers a sense of subtle refinement that fits perfectly with our climate-positive ethos.
Eilean Shona played a significant part in the birth of Sapling, as it was where Ed and Ivo (the other founder) first saw the purpose of the brand take shape while volunteering after wildfires destroyed one hundred and fifty thousand trees in 2017.
What makes Scotland such a special place to link to your vodka?
Scotland’s dramatic and restorative landscapes make it an ideal home for Sapling, because they reflect both our connection to nature and our mission to be climate positive.
Scotland is rich in untouched natural beauty and has long been seen as a place to escape the noise and excess of everyday life, which fits naturally with our idea of new luxury.
Since starting Sapling, have you seen spirit tourism become more popular?
Yes, we have seen a clear rise in spirit tourism, driven by people wanting deeper and more authentic experiences that connect them to the provenance and purpose of what they drink.
How does your vodka help consumers connect to Scotland and nature?
Sapling helps people feel connected to Scotland and nature through our one bottle one tree initiative, which ensures that every purchase directly contributes to climate restoration across the UK.
This gives drinkers a tangible link to the landscapes that inspire us.
Have you found it hard to break into the vodka market?
Vodka felt natural for us because it aligns with the idea that first inspired the brand, which was the blend of reforestation by day and celebration by night.
Our founders also felt that the vodka category was ready for change, as traditional ideas of luxury in vodka have often centred on excess and nightlife.
Benedetto Vigna discusses his four years of leading an iconic brand through rapid technological change, balancing tradition with progress, and steering growth from Maranello, Italy, to the global stage. Vigna is a physicist and longtime technology innovator. At STMicroelectronics, he helped pioneer MEMS motion-sensing technology and holds more than 200 patents.
Global Finance: How has the transition been from being a physicist and an innovator in the semiconductor industry to the CEO of Ferrari?
Benedetto Vigna: It has been an extraordinary learning experience; less different from my previous role in high-tech than I initially expected. Regardless of the sector, what matters most are the people.
The CEO of Ferrari, like any leader in high-tech, must be an innovator. The key difference here is the strong heritage that must be honored and interpreted. In my previous role, the future of the business was shaped almost entirely by what lay ahead, whereas at Ferrari, there is a unique balance between tradition and innovation.
Additionally, the sporting dimension adds an emotional intensity unlike anything I have experienced before.
GF: How did your previous career prepare you for your current role? And what perspectives or skills did you bring with you to Maranello, the home of Ferrari?
Vigna: My previous career prepared me for my current position at Ferrari in three main ways.
First, I brought an entrepreneurial mindset to innovation, encouraging teams to embrace new ideas and approaches. In my previous role, with a small team, hard work, passion, and trust from several clients, we had been able to build from scratch a multi-billion dollar business.
Second, I promoted greater openness within the organization and expanded our external network, helping teams build stronger relationships with suppliers and partners from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Third, my experience made me appreciate the importance of organizational design. I applied this by helping to flatten the structure at Ferrari, making it easier for information and ideas to flow across the whole company.
Last but not least, I highlighted the importance of acting as a united team.
GF: You recently outlined Ferrari’s new 5-year strategy. What are the key elements, and what does it mean for the “Casa di Maranello”?
Vigna: At our Capital Markets Day, first of all, we confirmed to have kept our promises, both in terms of products and financial performance. We exceeded the profitability targets set in our 2026 business plan one year ahead of schedule, and we are also ahead on our share buyback program. Moreover, during a time of uncertainty, we provided a clear floor for both top-line and margins until 2030.
Finally, we reaffirmed our strong commitment to sustainability, as we believe it is a key enabler for the new generation.
GF: And how much are you involved in the racing car side of the business?
Vigna: Our company has three souls: racing, sports cars, and lifestyle. Racing, where our story began, is extremely important for the company and for me, as it reflects our involvement in Formula 1, Endurance, and Hypersail.
For Ferrari, racing represents three main dimensions: it serves as a technological platform that transfers innovation from the track to the road; it provides a universal commercial platform for sponsorship opportunities; and it acts as a constant reminder to stay grounded, humble and focused.
Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna
GF: Ferrari is one of the most known and recognized brands in the world. How do you keep the reputation of the group so high for a long time to come?
Vigna: The world needs brands that are both agile and consistent with their DNA and values. In a time when respect and consideration are increasingly rare, it is crucial to pay attention to all stakeholders. For Ferrari, this means engaging with the local community through educational projects. We believe in co-prosperity.
GF: The role of technology and innovation is crucial for the future of Ferrari. What is your approach to this, considering your background?
Vigna: Ferrari has always been exploring new territories. Just think that, in the beginning of our history, Enzo Ferrari was called in his hometown “el mat”—the madman—for his determination to create a 12-cylinder engine. At that time, no one believed in a 12-cylinder car.
The technology, which is fundamental for a company’s survival, is only one of the ways to innovate. A purely tech-push approach, indeed, risks forgetting what is truly essential: the individual. Also a market-pull approach carries the risk to lag behind. My approach is emotion-driven—one that starts with a person’s emotion. We embrace technology neutrality because we put people at the center.
GF: And where growth is going to come from for the group? New models? New markets? Or eventually also new segments of the market?
Vigna: We have clear ideas on this front. The bulk of our growth over the next five years will be driven by Sports Cars revenues, further supported by the strong visibility provided by our order book, which extends well into 2027. More specifically, we expect Sports Cars activities to generate approximately 2 billion euros in revenue over the plan period, driven by an enriched product mix and increased contributions from personalizations. For this reason we are building two new Tailor Made centers in Tokyo and Los Angeles.
GF: Do you accept the definition of Ferrari as a leader in luxury goods, or is there more to the brand than just that?
Vigna: Ferrari is unique, first of all, as there is no other brand in the world that is both exclusive and inclusive. What sets us apart is also the blend of three dimensions: heritage, technology, and racing. Heritage is the extraordinary legacy our founder left us. Technology means the relentless innovation to always exceed our clients’ desires. And racing—the arena where we were born and which continues to fuel the Ferrari dream. The first Ferrari, the 125 S in 1947, was born to race.
GF: And finally how much do economic uncertainty and tariffs affect a brand like Ferrari? Less than most other car companies and manifacturers in general?
Vigna: The answer lies in our agility in defining and updating our commercial policy. Ferrari is in a somewhat privileged position compared to most other manufacturers: We have the ability to carefully control our allocations in each region, which helps us preserve our brand value. Our new sports cars have been very well received, and we continue to see consistent demand-growth across all our powertrains, models, and geographies. This strong and resilient demand, combined with our unique positioning, enables us to navigate economic uncertainties and regulatory changes. Despite all this, we must always—always—keep four wheels on the ground.
