Trendy Ethnic Shoes

According to Chinese medicine, if you take care of your feet, they'll take care of you. And a good, firm massage qualifies as some of the best payback. In most major cities, Chinatown is the place to find massages where footing the bill is painless. BOSTON: Skin Care Adventure Your feet are scrubbed clean with hot towels and then kneaded in a bare-bones, but pleasant, three-bed treatment room. 36 Essex St., 617/338-9222, $55 for one hour CHICAGO: Mercy Acupuncture Center Two traditional Chinese-medicine doctors founded this center. In keeping with holistic philosophy, foot therapies are designed to alleviate pain and dysfunction throughout the body. 208 W. Cermak Rd., 312/225-4822, $60 for one hour NEW YORK CITY: Fishion Herb Center What the often crowded herb center lacks in ambience, its practitioners make up for with their skill. No-frills shiatsu massage and reflexology, a treatment in which practitioners focus solely on pressure points, take place in small private rooms. 107 Mott St., 212/966-8771, $35 for one hour PHILADELPHIA: Feel Better Reflexology Center Three rooms are dedicated to reflexology. And if you sign up for a full-body hour-long Swedish massage ($80), a hot-stone foot massage is tacked on at the end. 601 N. 2nd St., 215/928-8828, $75 for one hour SAN FRANCISCO: Foot Reflexology Center Recliners line the walls in what resembles the waiting room in a doctor's office. Practitioners ask what ails you (indigestion, headache, etc.), and then cater their treatment to tackling the problem--starting with a soothing herb-infused footbath. 662 Jackson St., 415/989-2268, $45 for one hour VANCOUVER: Silk Road Therapists begin by wrapping green tea--infused towels around the feet to kick-start muscle relaxation. They also use a signature line of essential oil blends, such as Tonic, with peppermint and lavender, which is designed to increase circulation and overall energy. 1624 Government St., 250/704-2688, $56 for one hour

I'm one with the stink I've been getting close to feet since I was a teenager in Brazil. (Brazilians are obsessed.) So I'm used to the smelly thing. Women often apologize. Honestly, I notice the scent for only a sec, because the first thing I do is plunge your toes into water with peppermint oil. Don't sweat it. My real nightmare: fungus A yellowish layer growing under your nail bed means you've got fungus. We can't do anything about it. (Go to a doctor!) After someone with fungus comes in, I throw out my tools. If you're worried about the opposite problem--catching a fungus from unhygienic implements--bring your own. Look for German and Japanese brands at beauty-supply stores. Talk or don't talk My philosophy is that my customers are here to get a treat, so I'm not bothered if they're on their cell phones the whole time and don't even greet me. That said, I'm open when people tell me what they want. Health-conscious people tend to be a breeze, because they're always asking to skip the time-consuming cuticle cutting. There's supposedly less risk of attracting bacteria if the cuticles aren't cut. Pedicurists are morning people You'll get more attentive service the earlier you come, even if your pedicurist is still waking up. A long day of painting nails is rough! At night, expect longer waits. And people who come in after walking around all day have stinkier feet! Not that I mind, of course... My toughest customers We get models and celebrities all the time. They have the most terrible feet. They wear those pointy shoes; it's not pretty. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but my feet don't look all that great either. Truth is, I just don't have time for them anymore.

Ballet flats French Sole has more than 10,000 ballet flats in 500 styles--from glittery to zebra-striped to basic black--all designed by Jane Winkworth. The "Simple" flats (they actually have a 1/4-inch heel) were a Princess Diana favorite. 6 Ellis St., London, 011-44/20-7730-3771, frenchsole.com, from $97 Navajo sandals Stephen Bonanno's leather sandals are the epitome of preppy chic--if only because Jackie O. famously wore them. Sandals come whipstitched, flower-adorned, monogrammed, and in any number of color combinations. One of the most popular is the Palm Beach Classic, in pea green with turquoise accents. 15 SW Flagler Ave., Stuart, Fla., 866/313-3338, stephenbonanno.com, from $70 Mukluks Uggs are so out. Enter mukluks: They're like big bedroom slippers you can wear in the snow, with funky fringe, leather laces, and the occasional Navajo trim. All of Steger Mukluks & Moccasins' moosehide boots are made in the native Inuit style, which owner Patti Steger learned on dogsledding treks with her ex-husband, Arctic explorer Will Steger. 33 E. Sheridan St., Ely, Minn., 218/365-3322, mukluks.com, from $120 Gladiator sandals Lolli by Reincarnation's signature item is the "cat's cradle," an Italian suede sandal in black, red, brown, custard, or royal blue, with straps that can wrap up your ankle 12 different ways. 85 Stanton St., New York City, 212/529-2030, lolli-reincarnation.com, from $170 Cowboy boots Savvy Texans go to the Lucchese Outlet to select from 4,500 pairs of the legendary Lucchese boots, at 35 to 60 percent off. The boots come straight from the factory, with minor imperfections, such as a tiny scuff mark. 6601 Montana Ave., El Paso, Tex., 800/239-5925, lucchese.com, from $190 Flip-flops Flip Flop Shops is the one-stop shop for everyone's favorite summer staple. The store stocks 25 brands--Reef, Havaianas, Polo, Skechers--in hundreds of colors. 2576 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, 602/952-8422, flipflopshops.com, from $15

Canada: Bata Shoe Museum What you'll find: Twelve thousand shoes occupy four floors of cross-cultural exhibits--from ancient Egyptian sandals to ornate Chinese shoes used in foot binding. Current exhibit: "Icons of Elegance: The Most Influential Shoe Designers of the 20th Century," showcasing works by Salvatore Ferragamo, Roger Vivier, and Manolo Blahnik (through August). Curator's choice: "A pair of Mojaris that was owned by the Nizam of Hyderabad between 1790 and 1800," says curator Elizabeth Semmelhack. "They're completely encrusted with gold thread, diamonds, and rubies--too heavy to wear, but a marvel of the extraordinary." In the gift shop: A rhinestone-encrusted pie server with a stiletto heel magnetically attached to the handle ($12). 327 Bloor St. West, Toronto, 416/979-7799, batashoemuseum.ca, $7 England: Northampton Museum What you'll find: wo galleries have 12,000 notable shoes and shoemaking artifacts collected over the past 140 years. Some highlights: a boot made for an elephant, and stilts in the shape of Doc Martens that were worn by Elton John. Current exhibit: "Africa Adorned," featuring African footwear and jewelry with especially detailed beadwork (June 16--July 23). Curator's choice: "A pair of quirky red leather stilettos from the 1960s," says Rebecca Shawcross. "The company that produced them added little wheels onto the stilettos. They're called wheel-heels. Needless to say, they were quite short-lived." In the gift shop: Wooden shoe lasts that double as bookends, paperweights, and candlestick holders (from $14). Guildhall Rd., Northampton, 011-44/1604-838-111, www.northampton.gov.uk/museums, free Italy: Ferragamo Museum What you'll find: Exhibits draw from the 10,000-strong Ferragamo collection, with shoes made for Marilyn Monroe and Katharine Hepburn. They're displayed alongside relevant photographs, sketches, and articles. Current exhibit: "Ideas, Models, Inventions," focusing on Ferragamo's design process and featuring his patents and original drawings for concepts such as shoes with interchangeable heels--for example, the 1937 cork wedge (through the summer). Curator's choice: Museum director Stefania Ricci's favorite is the Invisible Shoe: "The sandal's upper is made from nylon fishing thread." In the gift shop: A box of postcards with patterns derived from shoes in the museum's collection ($12). Via Tornabuoni 2, Florence, 011-39/055-336-0456, ferragamo.com, free Germany: German Shoe Museum What you'll find: The selection of 14,000-plus shoes is paired with displays of historical tools of the trade. Current exhibit: "The Changing of Innocence," an avant-garde installation by Monika Golla with works of art constructed out of Barbie shoes (through September). Curator's choice: Dr. Rosita Nenno's favorite: "The 'topless,' or sole-only, shoes by Beth Levine, made in 1959. The wearer has to glue the sole onto her foot. It's even possible to dance in them." In the gift shop: Jan Jansen slippers--black and gray with a big red kiss across the top ($29). Frankfurter Str. 86, Offenbach, 011-49/69-829-7980, ledermuseum.de, $5