Los Angeles (USA) Energy Drink Trip 2014

My LA Exploration

I spent a lot of time exploring downtown LA, surrounding areas, Rodeo Drive, Melrose, Hollywood, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, and Muscle Beach. Before the trip, I thought I’d visit some burger spots, but ended up going to a few famous, slightly pricier burger joints in the area. The only junk food I had was a burrito. Overall, it was a very fulfilling exploration of LA.

Searching for the Red Bull Summer Edition

First, I planned to try the Red Bull Summer Edition that was released for the summer. As I mentioned before, it was a limited-time summer release, and when I arrived at the end of August, all the 7-Elevens were sold out. The store clerk told me it was over, and I thought, "Ah, too bad."

Actually, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to find it, but a follower had kindly bought some extra for me. I didn’t want to rely on them, though, so I decided to search for it myself. I visited over 10 7-Eleven stores in downtown, Melrose, Hollywood, and Santa Monica (with determination). Since they aren’t as widespread as in Japan, I checked stores in slightly sketchier areas, and bingo! I found the yellow Red Bull still in stock! I was really surprised and shouted, "Oh! Shit!" in front of the fridge (*´ω｀*)

Monster Energy Ultra Black on a Huge Sale

The Monster Energy Ultra Black, which had been leaked earlier, had started being sold just before I left for LA. I was hoping to get lucky, and sure enough, I found it on a huge sale at 7-Eleven. The sight of the black and silver cans lined up together was really exciting for any Monster Energy fan.

I managed to get both the Red Bull and Ultra Black at the perfect time, so I was quite satisfied with my haul.

Unexpected Find: Full Throttle!

While strolling along Santa Monica Pier, enjoying the beach and the street musicians, I thought I’d stop by a small shop to buy some souvenirs. And there, in the fridge, was a Full Throttle Red! I hadn’t seen it in any other stores after visiting dozens of places, so I bought this one bottle. I doubt many people buy energy drinks at this shop, but I didn’t mind.

By the way, I also found an M-80 at one store. I managed to buy it before the packaging completely changed. It might be the last time I can get it directly in the US before the redesign, so it felt pretty special.

It Ended Up Being an Expensive Shopping Trip

Usually, I can buy 2 cans for $4 or even $3 when they’re on sale, but individual cans cost around $2.70, which is pretty expensive. Normally, buying two at a time is the best deal, but most of the items I found were either ones I’d already bought or ones that are available in Japan. So when I bought new items, I usually bought them one by one, which ended up making the entire shopping trip more expensive than I expected.

Still, I visited dozens of stores like supermarkets, drugstores, and gas stations, and managed to buy almost 50 different types of energy drinks. From nostalgic ones to new varieties, the selection was diverse. Realistically, you can find a large variety of energy drinks in just a few stores in the US. I think I visited quite a few places for this trip.

Overall Thoughts on the Trip

By drinking 1.5L of energy drinks every day (around 3 cans) and having large meals at every stop, I was able to keep up my energy throughout the trip. I explored both the tourist spots and the slightly rundown areas, making it a well-rounded experience. It’s not an exaggeration to say that America is at the heart of the energy drink world, and it was amazing to not only explore energy drinks but also experience the culture, lifestyle, and people. For me, the habit of strangers casually starting conversations felt fresh after being away from Japan for so long. It reminded me how comfortable and welcoming the environment in the US can be.