A historic mansion in the Sé neighborhood, in São Paulo’s Historic Center, is home to Cama e Café, a space dedicated to culture and memory. In addition to serving lunch in a century-old setting, the venue holds an unusual detail from its past: the building once served as the residence of Maria Augusta Borges, the woman who inspired the urban legend of the “Blonde in the Bathroom.”
Although the establishment has been in operation since 2013, the owners remained unaware of this connection for nearly a decade. The story only came to light in 2022, when a historian visited the site to present his research on the topic.
How did the legend of the “Blonde in the Bathroom” come about?
Maria Augusta’s biography stands in stark contrast to the frightening figure of folklore. Born into the coffee-growing elite of Guaratinguetá, in the interior of São Paulo state, the young woman suffered under her family’s strict rules. At age 14, her relatives forced her to marry a councilman 21 years her senior. During their marriage, the couple lived in the mansion that now houses the restaurant in São Paulo.
But the young woman refused to accept the life her family had mapped out for her. At age 18, Maria Augusta sold her own jewelry to finance an escape to Paris. In the French capital, she moved in European high society and lived independently until her untimely death at age 26.
The myth of the “Blonde in the Bathroom” took shape after her death. The young woman’s mother arranged for her body to be transported to Brazil and kept it in a glass urn inside the house for months before the burial.
Years later, the family’s country mansion was turned into a school and became the epicenter of the legend. Students and staff began reporting apparitions and claimed to hear the songs Maria Augusta used to play coming from a locked piano. Over time, the ghost stories spread to schools across the country.
Visit Cama e Café!
Despite inspiring one of Brazil’s most popular horror stories, researchers view Maria Augusta as a free-spirited woman who was ahead of the conventions of her time. Today, the mansion from her time in São Paulo still stands, preserving its original architecture and welcoming visitors daily.
That’s why visiting Cama e Café is an experience that blends gastronomy with the living memory of the capital.
📍 Where: Rua Roberto Simonsen, 79 – Sé
📆 Hours: Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. | Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. 👻 More information: Check out Cama e Café’s social media
