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Waitresses Sue Cafe Habana for Sexual Harassment
By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 11, 2009
Modified Dec 11, 2009
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By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 11, 2009
Modified Dec 11, 2009
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Four waitresses at the super douchey Nolita "hotspot" Cafe Habana are suing the owner for fostering a "sexually charged environment." Known for its celebrity clientele, attractive staff, and Mexican grilled corn, the tiny restaurant has been a favorite of "keeping it real" stars like Josh Hartnett, Serena Williams, Adrien Grenier, and Owen Wilson. In fact, the Marley & Me star is mentioned in the recent lawsuit because one of the waitresses claims she was punished after rejecting his date request.
The lawsuit alleges that Wilson asked waitress Monica Mateo out for a coffee, and as she deliberated, manager Leslie Meenan shouted at her, "You know what coffee means in Hollywood, right? Don't screw this up. Owen's a good customer." But she did "screw it up," and Mateo claims she went from working five nights a week to a couple of days a week after turning Wilson down. She alleges that the schedule change also resulted from her refusal to pose for the "Habana Girls" calendar, which features photos of servers in their underwear and raises money for Habana Works, a non-profit that sponsors free sustainable design workshops.
Another plaintiff, Teliza Adams, claims Meenan wanted her to be the calender cover girl, and told her, "Your schedule can look like whatever you want if you're in the calendar." The lawsuit also accuses Meenan of ordering staffers to dress more provocatively, and firing the plaintiffs after they complained.
Grub Street obtained a copy of the lawsuit, but here's even more damning evidence: Check out this Lenny Kravitz video, in which a Cafe Habana waitress becomes the solution to all his rock star problems, like Gina Gershon's adoration and his sun-drenched apartment. We're not rushing to judgment, but where there's douchey smoke, there's fire. (Just beware of Kravitz's bare ass at the 1:30 mark.)
Tagged
cafe habana
lawsuit
Lenny Kravitz
nolita
nyc
owen wilson
suing
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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