Alright, our readers have good taste and make some good guesses. This one was a toughie, as it is a creation of Chef Robert Hayes. The Cordon-Bleu trained chef has created some of the most edible art we've ever seen. Think shrimp topiaries and glowing plates and towers of treats. Part artist, part chef, and all around great guy. He created this for our February cover, and then generously shared his recipe with us.

Party idea. Make some of these beauties and serve them on plates or trays lined with this month's cover. (If you do decide on this hip presentation don't worry, you can always call us at 521-9000 and get as many back copies of the issue as you need.)

Here's how it's done:

Oyster Starter

Select largest oyster possible in shell, one oyster per person.
Japanese soba noodles or your favorite noodle
soy sauce
English cucumber
Creme fraiche
caviar

Open oyster and take out oyster meat
Clean shell
Cut a piece of cucumber at an angle about 1/4" thick for base
On a plate arrange a cucumber slice in center
Push the largest half of oyster shell down in cucumber for stability
Cook soba noodles and toss with a hint of soy sauce
With a fork twirl noodles and place in oyster shell
Poach that sexy oyster in cream till the pedals open up
Place oyster on noodles
Julienne cucumber into thin strips about 3" long and arrange on top of oyster
You may wilt a little in butter if you so desire..i desire
Spoon a dollop of creme fresh or sour cream on top
Lavish with your favorite caviar
Serve with a cocktail fork and thin pieces of brioche toast cut into triangles

Check back soon for the recipe for the spun sugar cage dessert on the February issue's Table of Contents page.

Thanks again to Robert Hayes!

Voting is so...newsworthy these days, no?
In a word, we suppose you could even say it's hot.

That's why it's time to heat things up with the Memphis magazine Hot List. We've called the hot shots for the last two years, and to make year three's list of the hottest things in Memphis even better, we're asking you what you think. Who's got the goods? The services? What's in, and what's out? You voiced your opinions loud and clear for this month's Best Restaurants issue, so let's do it again, shall we?
Just click on the link below and let us know who your local favorites are, from gyms to gems, we want to know where you go to get the best of the best in the Bluff City.

This is gonna be...hot.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/T55G9KM

You might have noticed that we here at Memphis magazine have changed things up a bit. Our annual Readers' Restaurant Poll, usually published in January, will be on newsstands in February this year. Why? Well, we could not in good conscience pair articles on weight-loss and other health-related advice with the winners of categories like best ribs, burgers, and fries. It's just not fair. So, as an appetizer of sorts, here are a few favorites from the foodie-minded staffers of the magazine and our sister publication, the Memphis Flyer. These treats should tide you over until the winners of the 2010 poll are revealed in our next issue. And yes, there were some surprises! Until then, enjoy:

Fish Tacos
Bluefin
One wouldn't expect a downtown restaurant famous for sushi and some of the best miso soup in town to deliver when it comes to a Baja specialty like fish tacos.
But Bluefin delivers. In a major way.
One of the keys to a tasty taco is a light hand with the batter, and the chef, skilled at the art of tempura, treats the flaky, tender fish gently. An order brings
three generous portions of fish, each nestled snugly into a warm, slightly crisp and barely-browned (but not crunchy) tortilla. Tacos are drizzled with a spicy, smoky remoulade, and surrounded by freshly chopped onion, mango, cilantro, and tomato. Squeeze a bit of lime juice over the dish for a tart finish, and then dig in. Who knew? You do, now.
— Mary Helen Randall
135 South Main, 528-1010

Chicken Salad Sandwich
Deja Vu Creole Soul Food & Vegetarian Restaurant
You’d never know it wasn’t made with meat if Deja Vu’s menu didn’t list its Mock Chicken Salad Sandwich under the “vegan” heading on its menu. Textured vegetable protein (an unappetizingly named, but very convincing stand-in for meat) replaces chicken and vegan mayo is subbed for its egg-laden counterpart. A massive serving is piled atop a whole-wheat bun, but good luck keeping the sandwich together. The generous amount of chicken salad could easily fit into two buns. Get a doggy bag for the salad that falls off onto your plate.
—Bianca Phillips
936 Florida, 942-1400

Smoked Turkey Sandwich
Frank’s Deli
If you haven’t heard me wax poetic about Frank’s Deli, then we’ve probably never met. I never miss an opportunity to recommend my favorite deli lunch in the city of Memphis: Frank’s House Smoked Turkey Sandwich. The turkey is smoked in-house, sliced thick, and topped with aged cheddar, apple wood smoked bacon, chipotle mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato on toasted wheat berry bread. And it’s enormous, so I usually get two meals for the price of one. They have a delivery bicycle, which is undeniably charming (and convenient) but I recommend that you go in and see the daily specials — they almost always have the perfect side dish to accompany your sandwich.
— Hannah Sayle
327 South Main, 523-0101

Falafel Plate
Sean’s Café
Having made falafel many times, I know it’s as easy to whip up as it is to screw up. I have baked it, fried it, used a box mix, and started from scratch — all to varying results. So when I’m looking for consistency in this Middle Eastern chickpea patty, I leave the kitchen and go to Sean’s Café for the Falafel Plate.
The falafel on the plate are five little gems — perfectly fried to a crisp and still miraculously moist. They are the star of the show, to be sure, but the sides of tabouleh salad, pita bread, tahini sauce, and hummus more than pull their weight.
And while each component can be enjoyed on its own, my approach is to spread the wonderfully tart tabouleh and thick hummus on the pita, top that with the falafel, and glue it all together with the tahini. It’s a blissful bite and more than a bargain at $7.15.
— Susan Ellis
1651 Union, 274-3917

Not sure what to get that literate, witty, intelligent, but hard-to-please friend or family member for the holidays?
Well, we have the answer.
For a mere $12, you can give the gift of Memphis magazine to anyone and everyone on your list. Break it down: That's $1 a month for a gift that lasts an entire year.

We're not rocket surgeons over here, but that's a darn good deal. We'll even throw in a Vance Lauderdale 2010 calendar with each purchase.

All you have to do is call 901.575-9470, or order here.

The October issue of Memphis is on newsstands all around town, and I gotta say, I've not heard this much buzz about an issue in a while. While I'd like to think that it's because of all the stellar journalism found within its magnificent pages, the realist in me knows the real reason: MODELS.

Not just one beautiful girl to gaze upon, but two. (And before you get too excited, I feel it is my moral and legal obligation to let you know that both of those beauties are underage. Just saying.) Grant, the brooding brunette, however, is 18. Good luck with that.

Our annual fashion issue has taken us from random alleys downtown to studios and houses across the city, even to Clarksdale, Mississippi, where we spent two hot, sticky days shooting in the Delta heat, fighting off fire ants. This year, we decided to forgo the "storyline" behind the shoot and just concentrate on this year's incredibly bright colors. Of course, we had to make it a little difficult on ourselves by choosing a location that was gracious enough to let us shoot there, but only after the store closed. So at 10 p.m., for two nights, we were ready and waiting with an arsenal of clothing, jewelry, accessories, makeup, lights, and all the stuff needed to pull off a shoot. We worked into the wee hours of the morning, and we never would have gotten it all done without the help of some very important people. First, the dynamic duo of stylist Alicia George and photographer Sean Bloemer, casting agent leah Bruce, our style volunteers Anna Joy Bearman and Maggie Bearden, photography assistants Ashle Bailey and Rico Heard. Our models, Graham Black, Donnell Landrum, and Kaitlyn Stoddard (and their parents for allowing us to keep their children out so late on school nights), and hair gurus Shawn McGhee and Scot Robinson from Pavo Salon. Special shout out to the owners of the Viet Hoa Food Market on Cleveland for letting us take over their store after-hours.

If you haven't checked out the issue, it's on newsstands now (look for a gorgeous girl leaning against a display of raw meat. It will make sense when you see the spread in its entirety.) to tide you over, a few behind-the-scenes shots of the prep work (steaming of clothing, curling of hair, and general vamping) that took place beforehand.

• Scot and Shawn: on a roll.

• Bearden and Bearman: hats off to you.

• Shoe taping: tedious but oh-so-neccessary.

• Maggie: steam heat.

And to see previous years' fashion shoots, visit Memphis magazine's fashion archives here.

August in Memphis was quite interesting this year, no? What with the mayoral shenanigans, lawsuits, heat waves, cold fronts, floods, and many children left behind (the bus, that is), it was almost too much even for a city used to widespread chaos on every level. Thank goodness you can count on us here at Memphis magazine to keep things straight, and you, our loyal readers, informed. It's what we do (when the publisher is watching, anyway. What we do when he's away will be another post.)

If you thought the City Hall antics kept the you guys spinning, you can imagine what it was like here in the swanky offices of Memphis magazine, as our intrepid editors put together the "Who's Who" for this year's city guide.

It sounded a little like this:

"Could someone please change Herenton's profile to say former mayor? Thanks!"
"Nevermind. Change it back."
"No, pull that page off the printer. We've got to change it again."
"How should we title Myron Lowery?"
"What day is it?"
"We've redone these pages 12 times already! My fingers are bleeding."
"Shut up."
"YOU shut up."
"I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry too."
"Did anyone see today's paper? Pull the page again."
(quiet weeping heard somewhere in the art department)
"Can't we just put TBD by Herenton's picture?"
"The printer is out of ink. Again."
"This madness has to stop."

Of course, having Vance make his bi-annual visit to the office, parading about in his velvet culottes, demanding sparkling water and Brie, didn't make a precarious printing situation any easier, but we got through it. High maintenance, that one. You have no idea!

And when we work that hard and get a beast of a magazine like City Guide off to the printer, there's only one thing left to do.

Party.

Thanks to our friends at Café Society, the magazine hosted one heck of a Who's Who party when all was said and done. Thanks to chef and owner Cullen Kent, and all the fine folks who helped in some way make the event happen. Special shout out to the gentleman that warned the editor that her dress was see-though when she stood right in front of the glass door. She is eternally grateful.

See who made the list —and the party — below. Click on the images to enlarge. For additional party pictures, visit our Flickr site here.