What better way to kick off the end of the whimper that was summer than with a pioneer of hard core punk, Paul ''HR'' Hudson, the frontman of Bad Brains, whose last album was produced by Beastie Boy Adam Yauch. Hudson is in town to promote his new solo album, Hey Wella, to be released Sept. 30, and will be performing a highly anticipated set at Churchill's Pub on Saturday. Doors open at 8 p.m., and the cover charge is just $10.

In addition to the 600 steak houses that plan to open this season, we'll finally get something new. Adding to his ever-growing edible empire, Jeffrey Chodorow will open his famed Asia de Cuba restaurant during Art Basel at the yet-to-open Mondrian South Beach at 1100 West Ave. The restaurant will offer a fusion of Asian and Latin cuisines.

Meanwhile the aural fusion known as Afrobeta celebrates its second anniversary with a live performance at Circa 28 tonight. The Miami-based band is best known for fusing disco, house, ghettotech, soul and funk and will perform at midnight. No cover charge.

Congrats to the original Segafredo on Lincoln Road, which celebrated its remarkable eighth anniversary (and its lease renewal from the city, which wasn't looking too likely for a while) last Wednesday with a big '70s themed party featuring Maryel Epps, a slide show and DJs Guillermo Simo, Andres, Johnny C., Marc Marshall and Alladin.

And although some people think schlepping to South Beach on a weekend may be a bit of a hassle, imagine South Beach people doing the reverse commute to -- gasp -- Kendall. But some South Beachers are trekking there on Sunday night to a place called Drake's, 13754 SW 88th Street, for Live Rock Sunday parties, which attract an audience of live music fans. This week, a slew of local bands -- Riot Agents, Muteissue, 1000 Pounds of Thrust, Revolution, Exit 13 and ThreeInOne -- perform beginning at 8 p.m. Drake's offers $3 shots and $3 beer; consider it a reward for using all the gas it takes to get there. Cover is free for 21 and over; $5 for 18-20. And for those who start getting the sweats if they don't hear DJ-ed music, fret not: DJ Veneno will be spinning vinyl.

Marathon spinning will take place at Nikki Beach this weekend, where on Saturday from noon to midnight there will be 12 hours of nonstop house music with guest DJs Roland Clark,Sheldon Prince, Doruk Ozlen, Marc Sacheli and resident DJs JP Rigaud and Snezana. On Sunday, the house-a-thon continues from noon-5 a.m. with DJ Victor Simonelli.

Also continuing is Miami Spice, with which we have a few bones to pick. Yes, the deals are great, but there's nothing worse than a restaurant begrudgingly giving you the Spice menu after you've asked for it 60 times. The Spice menu should be presented as soon as you sit down, like it was at Smith & Wollensky; if a customer requests it, staff shouldn't make the customer feel like a second-class citizen. If you participate in Spice, be proud of it; if you scoff at Spice, don't participate. Another issue: We wish restaurants offered more of their signature dishes as opposed to the bar mitzvah offering of steak, chicken and salmon. How uninspiring, and what a great way to make sure newcomers never return.

In pricier food news, the American Institute of Wine and Food is presenting a Florida tapas dinner from 7:30-10 p.m. Saturday at the Laguna Pool at Turnberry Isle Resort and Club. For $85 per person including tax, gratuity and valet parking, you'll sample fare from Hubert Des Marais, Sally Camacho, David Mullen, Allen Susser, Norman Van Aken, Dewey LoSasso, Sean O'Connell and Tim Andriola. Drinks are included. Call 305-663-9641 or e-mail assnmgmt@bellsouth.net. All proceeds go toward scholarships for culinary students throughout So Flo.

And finally, another monstrous restaurant plans to open on South Beach, in the South of Fifth area in that massive space at the corner of first and Washington. Good news is, it's not a steakhouse. It's Au Pied de Cochon, and it hails from Paris, Mexico City and Atlanta. The French bistro will be open 365 days, 24 hours a day, which will require more than just a pig's foot for good luck to survive. The space used to be a gym and a modeling agency; now it will serve foie gras and steak frites. How delicious is that irony? We wish them luck and a speedy completion so that maybe next summer, when things are crawling along at an escargot's pace, those stuck here without a ticket out can pretend they're on the Left Bank instead of feeling left behind.

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