by MacKenzie Geidt, Sunset assistant travel editor

I may have been the only teenager watching Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and faking an English accent (ok, I still do), but champagne and caviar earned mythical status for me from Robin Leach.  Those two notorious Cs have always seemed like the ultimate indulgence—only attainable by the ultra elite and and definitely not common weeknight fare, right? 

Nonsense!  Caviar and champagne are perfectly attainable by us public-transit-riding 9-5ers, and you don't have to break the bank to treat yourself to a slice of the good life.  Pull up a chair at the Tsar Nicoulai Caviar Cafe in the Ferry Building Marketplace and don't deny yourself (according to the picture, even people wearing shorts, tank tops and Teva sandals indulge every now and again...)

Check it out: 3 flights of bubby for $27!  Perfect for sampling and champers-sharing with a date (or in my case, my boss, who I adore but don't get the wrong idea...)   

So that takes care of your champagne wishes, but what about those nagging caviar dreams??
Check it out: buckwheat blinis, creme fraiche, and a golden platter full of those tiny little status-holding eggs that are so sought after (don't worry, Tsar Nicoulai uses sustainable farming methods)

With samplers for under $50, you can sample a piece of the good life and still have change left over to take the bus home.  (I'd go again just for post-work champagne!)  Go ahead, spice up an anotherwise hum-drum Wednesday night with a little fine fare and live like the rich and famous.  Why?  Because you're worth it!