Plaza

A plaza /ˈplɑːzə/ is an open urban public space, such as a city square.

Throughout Spanish America and the Spanish East Indies, the plaza mayor of each center of administration held three closely related institutions: the cathedral, the cabildo or administrative center, which might be incorporated in a wing of a governor's palace, and the audiencia or law court. The plaza might be large enough to serve as a military parade ground. At times of crisis or fiesta, it was the space where a large crowd might gather. Like the Italian piazza, the plaza remains a center of community life that is only equaled by the market-place.

Most colonial cities in Spanish America and the Philippines were planned around a square plaza de armas, where troops could be mustered, as the name implies, surrounded by the governor's palace and the main church. A plaza de toros is a bullring.

In modern usage, a plaza can be any gathering place on a street or between buildings, a street intersection with a statue, etc. Today's metropolitan landscapes often incorporate the "plaza" as a design element, or as an outcome of zoning regulations, building budgetary constraints, and the like. Sociologist William H. Whyte conducted an extensive study of plazas in New York City: his study humanized the way modern urban plazas are conceptualized, and helped usher in significant design changes in the making of plazas.

Plaza (surname)

Plaza is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:

Plaza (disambiguation)

Plaza is a Spanish word for a city square; it may more specifically refer to:

People

Places

See also

Gia

Gia is a 1998 biographical HBO film about the tragic life and times of one of America's first supermodels, Gia Marie Carangi. The film stars Angelina Jolie as Gia and Faye Dunaway as Wilhelmina Cooper, Mercedes Ruehl, and Elizabeth Mitchell. It was directed by Michael Cristofer and written by Cristofer and Jay McInerney. The original music score was composed by Terence Blanchard.

Plot

Gia Carangi (Angelina Jolie) is a Philadelphia native who moves to New York City to become a fashion model and immediately catches the attention of powerful agent Wilhelmina Cooper (Faye Dunaway). Gia's attitude and beauty help her rise quickly to the forefront of the modeling industry, but her persistent loneliness after the death of Wilhelmina drives her to experiment with mood-altering drugs like cocaine. She becomes entangled in a passionate affair with Linda (Elizabeth Mitchell), a make-up artist. Their love affair first starts when both pose nude and make love to each other after a photo shoot. However, after a while Linda begins to worry about Gia's drug use and gives her an ultimatum; Gia chooses the drugs. Failed attempts at reconciliation with Linda and with her mother, Kathleen (Mercedes Ruehl), drive Gia to begin abusing heroin. Although she is eventually able to break her drug habit after much effort, she has already contracted HIV from a needle containing infected blood.

Gia (album)

Gia is an album by Greek singer Despina Vandi that was originally released on December 19, 2001 by Heaven Music. Since release, it has been re-released several times, and has become one of the best-selling album of all time. According to the DVD "Guide of the Greek discography" which is complied privately by Petros Dragoumanos, it is the best selling album for the last 20 years in Greece. In 2010, Alpha TV's "Chart Show" which uses statistics also compiled by Mr. Dragoumanos, ranked the album as the third most successful album in terms of sales in Greece during 1985-2009 and the most successful album from 2000-2009. The album has sold more than 200,000 units (400,000 discs) and stands at five times platinum in Greece. It also stands at four times platinum in Cyprus and gold status in Turkey. Additionally, the album was licensed to 35 territories.

A re-release titled Gia & Ante Gia Collector's Edition was later released on March 21, 2002 and includes two discs featuring the songs from the original album plus the songs from her CD single "Ante Gia".Gia was also later released in the United States by Escondida Music in 2004 as her first international release with a slightly altered track listing. The first single "Gia" reached number one on the US Billboard Club Dance Airplay.Gia was later released in Australia by Central Station and in Romania by Mach 1 in 2004. Following the success of the album, Despina Vandi was awarded as Best Selling Greek Artist 2001 at the World Music Awards which held in Monaco on March 6, 2002.

Gia (song)

"Gia" is a song recorded by Greek singer Despina Vandi. It was originally released as the first single off her 2001 multi-platinum Greek album also of the same name. Vandi signed with Ultra Records for the international release of the track, and in 2003 a CD single was made available in many markets, following by a 2004 US re-issued which included a new English-language version.

"Gia" (A Greek meaning for the word "Hi") is best known for its blending of Arabian drums, Modern Laika, Eurodance-influenced techno beats and bilingual lyrics. It is also the first foreign-language Dance recording to top the Billboard Hot Dance Airplay chart, where it peaked at number one in 2004.

"Gia" stayed on the charts of Billboard for 12 weeks and made Vandi one of the six artists that stayed so many weeks on the charts for 2004.

The track has also been mashed-up with another Vandi single, "Come Along Now", which was released in 2004 as "Come Along Now Vs. Gia". It is featured on the Ministry of Sound's "The Annual 2005".