Der Brucer, re: your comment about the Brit Museum, National Theatre, and Earl's Court being more than a good stretch of the legs. Well...Earl's Court certainly is, but who goes to Earl's Court. Last time I was there...was for their Home Show.
But what I was talking aboutis that in a city like London or, I suppose, New york, you can pretty much get to any venue or amenity you need within a thirty minutes walk. I don't need to eat in Earl's Court. I can find plenty of good restaurants in the area where I stay (The place we stayed in for about a dozen years, we could walk out our back door and The Ivy, the primo show biz restaurant was right there...Joe Allen's and Orso were in nearby Covent Garden, five minutes away.)
We stay right in the heart of Theatreland when we go (this November right along the embankment right between Charring Cross and Trafalgar). From this starting point, I can certainly get to the British Museum easily within twenty minutes and would think of nothing going to the National that night (probably ten-fifteen minutes walk away). From that point, I've walked as far west as Notting Hill, the V&A, Chelsea; as far north as Camden; as far East as the Tower of London.
Yes, if I want to go to the Almeida or the Riverfront Cafe, I'm going to have use the tube or take a cab. But in a city like London, you have a neighbourhood which usually provides everything you need in walking distance.
TOD: Fav horror film is THE ISLAND OF LOST SOULS with Charles Laughton and "The House of Pain". What is the Law? Not to walk on all fours, are we not men? What is the Law? Not to eat meat, are we not men? What is the Law? Not to shed blood, are we not men? His is the Hand That Makes! His is the Hand That Heals! His is the House of Pain!