hp bottom for my best posts only

[johnryan]

Hi, I'd like to have my best posts appear in the hpbottom. I think I will need to create a category for them ex:"recent posts" aside from that I don't know how to accomplish getting them to appear in the hpbottom. Can someone explain how to do this?
thank you

My home.php code is below.



<?php get_header(); ?>

<div id="content">

<div id="homepage">

<?php /*Check for the 'gallery_styles' function. if it's there, then include it. If not, do nothing*/ ?>
<?php if (function_exists('gallery_styles')) : ?>

<div id="homepagetop">

<div class="featuredtop">

<?php include (ABSPATH . '/wp-content/plugins/featured-content-gallery/gallery.php'); ?>

</div>

</div>

<?php endif; ?>




<div id="homepagebottom">

<div class="hpbottom">
<?php $feature_cat_3 = get_option('lifestyle_feature_cat_3'); $feature_cat_3_num = get_option('lifestyle_feature_cat_3_num'); if(!$feature_cat_3) $feature_cat_3 = 1; //setting a default ?>
<h3><?php echo cat_id_to_name($feature_cat_3); ?></h3>

<!--This is where the thumbnails are found for the homepage bottom section - note the custom field name for this image is "hpbottom". Recommended image size is 70x70, as the stylesheet is written for this size.-->

<?php $recent = new WP_Query("cat=".$feature_cat_3."&showposts=".$feat ure_cat_3_num); while($recent->have_posts()) : $recent->the_post();?>
<?php if( get_post_meta($post->ID, "hpbottom", true) ): ?>
<a href="<?php the_permalink() ?>" rel="bookmark"><img style="float:left;margin:0px 10px 0px 0px;" src="<?php echo get_post_meta($post->ID, "hpbottom", true); ?>" alt="<?php the_title(); ?>" /></a>
<?php else: ?>
<?php endif; ?>
<b><a href="<?php the_permalink() ?>" rel="bookmark"><?php the_title(); ?></a></b>
<?php the_content_limit(350, "[Read more of this review]"); ?>

<div style="border-bottom:1px dotted #94B1DF; margin-bottom:10px; padding:0px 0px 10px 0px; clear:both;"></div>

<?php endwhile; ?>

<b><a href="<?php echo get_category_link($feature_cat_3); ?>" rel="bookmark">Read More Posts From This Category</a></b>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<?php include(TEMPLATEPATH."/sidebar.php");?>

</div>

<!-- The main column ends -->

<?php get_footer(); ?>