Welcome to Episode 166 of The Endless Growth Podcast!

This week, Alex and Edgar finally unpack their Memorial Day California trip, giving a full behind-the-scenes breakdown of Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and San Diego, complete with unforgettable food spots, hilarious mishaps, nightlife chaos, and the strange emotional feeling that comes when a great trip starts coming to an end.

The episode kicks off with the guys flying out of the tiny Ogden Airport for the first time, debating whether it’s actually worth skipping Salt Lake for convenience. What starts as simple travel talk quickly turns into stories about sketchy airplane turbulence, expensive Ubers, waking up next to the ocean in Santa Monica, and the reality of what Los Angeles actually feels like compared to the image people build in their heads.

Things quickly take a turn when Alex accidentally leaves his wallet inside a Waymo self-driving car. What starts as a cool futuristic experience turns into a surprisingly stressful scavenger hunt involving customer support, tracking down the exact vehicle, and wondering whether his wallet had disappeared for good. The guys also reflect on losing valuables while traveling and why vacation mode somehow makes people forget everything.

Food becomes a major part of the conversation as they break down some of the best meals of the trip, from incredible Mediterranean halal food and unforgettable breakfast spots to seafood on the Santa Monica Pier, ramen recovery meals, and hidden restaurants that somehow end up becoming core memories. Along the way, they compare Los Angeles vs. San Diego food, debate whether hype culture has died in places like Fairfax, and talk about how certain places simply lose their magic over time.

Later in the episode, the trip shifts into pure chaos. Edgar battles one of the worst nights of the vacation after unexpectedly strong Long Islands at a club called The Bungalow, while Alex somehow manages to lose his phone right after already losing his wallet. The guys share stories about nightlife, bar hopping sober, random lounges with live music, freezing beach nights, and one unforgettable Lyft driver whose glowing lights and loud music somehow became one of the funniest memories of the trip.

As always, the conversation takes plenty of unexpected detours. The guys talk about self-driving technology, Meta glasses for capturing memories, Petersen Automotive Museum highlights, Fast & Furious cars, why vacations hit differently with good company, and the bittersweet feeling of realizing a trip is ending while already feeling nostalgic for moments that just happened.

Whether you love travel stories, random adventures, food recommendations, nightlife mishaps, or simply hearing honest conversations between friends trying to enjoy life while figuring things out along the way, Episode 166 is one you won’t want to miss.

00:30 Memorial Day LA Trip
01:36 Santa Monica Stay
01:54 Flying Ogden Airport
02:56 Sketchy Plane Talk
05:21 LA vs San Diego Vibes
06:36 Day One Arrival Timeline
07:25 Real Estate Curveball
08:55 Hotel Check In Spa
09:30 Pier Dinner Bubba Gump
11:13 Waymo Ride Experience
13:59 Wallet Lost Panic
20:41 Waymo Lost And Found
22:54 Late Night Mediterranean Spot
26:05 Cold Beach Night Walk
26:44 Trip Schedule Next Day
27:03 Skylight Sleep Struggles
28:39 Morning Walk And Beach Shock
29:56 Alcove Brunch Food Talk
30:42 Griffith Parking Fail
32:29 Petersen Museum Highlights
39:47 Movie Cars And LACMA
40:44 Fairfax Then The Grove
44:19 Lobsters And Beer Dinner
45:11 Bungalow Night Out
47:39 Drunk Spins And Puking
49:51 Eggslut Line And Duck Fat
53:01 Free Duck Fat Tatters
53:50 LA Feels Rough
54:11 Traffic To San Diego
55:10 Downtown Airbnb And Ramen
57:21 Lounge To Bar Hopping
01:00:28 Nova Lines And City Chaos
01:02:03 Last Day Market And Marina
01:03:47 Mission Beach Sunset Plans
01:07:16 Motorcycles And Wild Lyft
01:11:08 Nova Night And DJ Takes
01:15:06 Airport Exit And Wrap Up
01:15:55 Final Shoutouts And Tips