Caviar vending machine debuts in L.A. selling other ridiculously priced items

Being uber-rich is just so darn hard.

When you're not having your baby toe shaved off to fit into your new Manolo Blahniks, then it's the appraiser knocking at the door, getting that tacky old Monet that's been gathering dust in the seventh bedroom ready for auction. And don't even start on the help. It's near impossible to find a good butler these days — sifting through resumes while pounding Dom Pérignon can take weeks!

In between all the massages, bleachings, and $400 lunches, who has time to pick up a decent caviar these days?

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Fortunately, the folks at Beverley Hills Caviar have come up with a handy remedy for those must-have-caviar moments — a caviar vending machine. Yup, three of the bizarre looking contraptions have been installed around Los Angeles, and are being described by their makers as "caviar boutiques."

Los Angeles Magazine reports that they'll sell a pink mother of pearl spoon for $4, Imperial River Beluga Caviar for $500 an ounce, and other luxury food items like truffles, escargot and bottarga, all for a range of outrageous prices.

Yes, this is actually happening (recession, people!), and it's not even a new idea. They've had caviar vending machines for years in Russia, reports the blog Eater.

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Anyone who's travelled can attest to the bizarre range of food items and wares that can be purchased from a vending machine. From underwear to iPods to hamburgers and cupcakes, if it's smaller than a breadbox, you know you can buy it from a machine somewhere.

What weirdness do we Canadians sell from vending machines? Fresh french fries and pizza, apparently. Machines vending McCain fries and pizzas have made it onto Canadian soil.

It may not be beluga caviar in a mother of pearl spoon, but at least it won't set you back $500.