Phase 2 of New York magazine's much whispered-about redesign launches on Monday, presenting us with "The Culture Pages," which are designed to help us learn to do things in New York besides drink. Regular features will include the cryptically-titled Pre-Show Show, Backstory, Arc, Blastback, Triptick and Pipeline. So many flashy words, so little understanding! The intricately detailed memo explaining Adam Moss' plan for the continued gay-ification of his magazine after the jump.

New York Magazine to Launch The Culture Pages
Former Critics Section to Add Voices, Tools for Navigating the World s Cultural Capital

NEW YORK Kicking off the second installment of its three-phase re-introduction, New York Magazine will launch The Culture Pages, a 20 to 24-page expanded exploration of arts and entertainment in New York City, in the issue on stands Monday, October 25.

Building on the magazine s popular Critics section, The Culture Pages will offer readers not only spirited, insightful reviews of movies, theater, television, art, music, dance by our in-house experts, but will provide a wealth of additional perspectives and entry-points for understanding culture in New York.

Regular elements of The Culture Pages will include:

Opener An internal cover story about one of the people, productions or pieces making cultural news this week. Authoritative, incisive feature reviews by staff critics including our new movie critic Ken Tucker, John Simon, John Leonard, Mark Stevens, Ethan Brown, Logan Hill, Peter G. Davis and rotating guest critics, plus a number of shorter reviews.

Backstory a sidebar to feature reviews that offers quick insight into the making of a film, play, album, exhibit or book, such as a tidbit about the casting, filming or deal behind a new movie

The Pre-Show Show - Movie previews and ads reviewed and impressions of their products rated on a want-to-see or want-to-buy scale of 1-10

DVD Connections: suggestions for rentals that complement (or relieve us from) this week s crop of theatrical releases. Conversations with cast members, musicians, artists and writers.

Long Story Short: a dissection of the process and history of the how a work of art came to be.

Eavesdropper: what the audience really thinks. Suggestions for How to Fix a play, movie, album or TV show that s broken.

The Arc: The storyline of a serial TV show dissected, explained and critiqued.

Ask the Clerk/ Ticket Taker: The expert behind the counter weighs in on what s selling, what s being walked out on, and what he or she wishes artists would do more and less of.

Blastback: Every artist s dream a spurned creative fires back at his or her critics.

On Tour in Town a Q and A with a clever visiting artist

Triptych: who bought what piece of art and why?

Auctions: Previews of upcoming sales

Influences: An artist s tastes revealed

The Approval Matrix Our deliberately oversimplified guide to who falls where on our taste hierarchies.

Pipeline What s in the works

The Week Authoritative listings, just as comprehensive as always, with brief recommendations and reviews. Our updated pages will point readers to our website, www.nymetro.com, for even more information, including new features that display movie showtimes, trailers and allow for online ticketing.

On October 11, New York Magazine launched phase I of its reintroduction with The Strategist. Named for the magazine s longstanding Urban Strategist column, The Strategist serves as an authoritative, sophisticated, witty and useful sourcebook to every facet of New York living, including eating, shopping, parenting, pampering, apartment-hunting, struggling and surviving the city.

In the issue on sale November 15, the rest of the redesign of the magazine will debut, including an updated Intelligencer section, new columns, including one by semi-weekly columnist Kurt Andersen, and modifications to the feature well.