My Olympic London -- Or What to Do When Stranded by the Rain or Tube HACKNEY, EAST LONDON - In typical British style, as we get closer to the Olympic Opening Ceremony seemingly everything that can go wrong is going wrong - security issues, weather worries, transport concerns. But as someone who lives less than a mile from the Olympic Park and has seen first-hand the regeneration of the area, I, for one, am really excited about the Games. East London is finally coming of age this summer and the eyes of the world will be upon us. But let's face it, the potential for transport problems in a city that barely copes with a regular weekday rush hour means that visitors to the Olympic Park might be spending more time in East London than they bargained for. This is actually good news because the areas immediately bordering the Olympic Park are some of the most culturally vibrant in the whole country. So, if it's raining and you need somewhere to shelter, here's my guide to the hippest hangouts near the stadium (for T Magazine's take, go here): A mere 100 meters from the Olympic Stadium and home to an enormous Coca-Cola Olympic mural (that was defaced within a few hours of being painted) is Hackney Wick, an arty district which is home to many of East London's creative types. The Hackney Pearl is a great neighborhood restaurant with good food and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere, but Stour Space gallery, which also houses the Counter Cafe, might be able to claim the prize for best location for an Olympic coffee. It directly faces the Olympic Stadium, so if you're happy to simply hear the Games rather than watch them, this could be the place for you. Annex East is a huge warehouse arts space in Stratford, an area that has benefited from much of the Olympic regeneration cash, including now having the dubious honor of being home to one of the largest shopping malls in Europe. Just a few meters from the Olympic Park itself, Annex East is aiming to create a cultural hub for exhibitions and events with a foodie feel, including playing host to a pop-up restaurant. If you're in town on July 21st, and feel athletic, they're holding a Dodgeball-themed supper club which does exactly what it says: A dodgeball competition followed by four course dinner. The green spaces of Victoria Park are adjacent to the Olympic Park and will play host to musical and cultural events for the duration of the Games. If you didn't get a ticket for the opening or closing ceremonies then you can head to the park to watch them on three giant screens. There will also be a 55-meter high (18-storey) Observation Wheel and a 320 meter long (1,000-feet) zipline high above the trees. If you prefer people watching to ziplining, then head to nearby Broadway Market. The area is now such a well-established hangout for the "fashion blogger slash stylist slash DJ" hipster crowd that it's been lauded by the likes of Vanity Fair and Italian Vogue as London's hippest street. Katy Perry and Rihanna have been seen hanging out there recently and if that doesn't make it hip then I don't know what does. At the top of Broadway Market, the space under the Victorian railway arches of London Fields is being re-appropriated by people with a love of food and ale, which could provide the antidote to the sponsorship-laden fare on offer in the Olympic Park. The London Fields Brewery's craft beers (with names like "Hackney Hopster" and "Love Not War," which was first brewed whilst the brewery was barricaded during last summer's riots) can be found in scores of pubs all over London. Their weekend "A Summer Affair" events feature live music, DJs, market stalls and a focus on good food from the BBQ and custom-made smoking machine. You can even book a butchery lesson if you want to know how to slice up your pig properly before it goes on the grill. Just a few arches away, Broadway Market's hit coffee house Climpson & Sons has opened Burnt Enz in their roastery. This is a huge space with a custom-built brick oven and grill in the courtyard and a full kitchen, dining floor and coffee bar indoors. It's the perfect place to while away the weekend with BBQ food, DJs and guest beers. They also hold supper-club-style events with set menus that offer a more upmarket gastro experience. A short walk from the railway arches, tucked away in an alley off Hackney Road, is hidden a cozy wood-paneled pub that you'd never even know was there unless you were looking for it. But the Sebright Arms is home to the fast-becoming-legendary Lucky Chip burger experience. Burgers with names like "The Bill Murray," "The Jeff Bridges" and "The Tom Selleck" are so popular that the pub has had to mount a huge traffic light on the wall to show when the kitchen is ready to take orders. So, come visit us and stay as long as you like - or have to.