HOT TIPS : PLUNGE INTO THIS WITH BOTH FEET.

Byline: Barbara De Witt

Achy backs, stiff necks and even sinus problems are supposed to disappear with a twist of your toe. The mean massage of one's foot to cure what ails you is called foot reflexology, a growing trend at spas and salons.

When Miz Hot Tips treated her feet to this intense form of physical therapy - based on an ancient Chinese belief that pressure points on the foot are related to bodily functions and organs - she learned plenty.

Once linked to hippie heyday fads such as tarot card readings and numerology, reflexology has gained respectability and is now associated with holistic medicine and aromatherapy. Unlike the little massage you get with a pedicure, this procedure is usually performed by a licensed masseuse, physical therapist or chiropractor.

Got stomach problems? It'll show up on the ball of your foot. Feel a headache coming on? Press on your big toe and rotate it to make your head feel better, said Renee Ciocca, the masseuse who pummeled my feet at Krystal Salon, 12930 Ventura Blvd., Studio City. According to Ciocca, reflexology includes a deep muscle massage which can be slightly painful, and if you have a lot of toxins in your body, you may get a post-therapy headache, which is relieved by drinking water. All this fun costs about $35 at Krystal and other salons and spas.

Bing, went her heart: Miz Hot Tips hasn't met a pie she didn't like, but she holds cherry pie - the kind with fresh cherries - in particularly high esteem. If you're equally sweet on bing cherries, mark your calendar for the second weekend in June, when the Pine Canyon Cherry Farm, 18649 Pine Canyon Road, Lake Hughes, begins its annual cherry-picking season. You can pick from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for $1 a pound, but bring your own boxes. For more information, call [phone].

Nostalgia alert: You can't grow up in Los Angeles without having experienced at least one Tommy's burger. Fans will tell you this is no ordinary burger, but a big sloppy chili burger that everyone, from celebs in limos to starving college students, waited in line for on Sunday mornings. You see, owner Tommy Koulax didn't open until noon, but you got there early to be sure he didn't run out of chili. So, by the time he got there, there was quite a crowd. Things have changed, now that Tommy has 18 locations, but the original ``shack'' at 2575 W. Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, is still there, and in honor of its 50th anniversary on May 15, there's going to be a party. You can get the original chiliburger for only 50 cents, plus an anniversary pin for $3.50. Heck, you might even be munching with the mayor, as it's going to be a major civic event beginning at 11 a.m. ... but you'll still have to wait until noon for the chow line to open.

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Photo: Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Tommy's with 50-ce nt chiliburgers on May 15 at the original location, 2575 W. Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles.