Here are the answers to your questions. Please enjoy your vacation day and we'll see you again next week. For next week's R&B, please email us at la@curbed.com with your question.
[Ivan Hill Terrace, for rent now on Craigslist]
1) Silver Lake: The problem with the Ivan Hill Terrace homes seems to revolve around noise, and lots of it. Or so say the commenters. Via seven seven seven: "A realtor in 2005 told me that the houses along Ivan Hill Terrace have the longest average DOM in Silver Lake because of the traffic noise and traffic pollution. You gotta wonder if this guy did any market research at all. Because after all, that hillside has been bare for 75 years. There's a reason nobody built there!!!"
2) Echo Park: Regarding the Jensen Rec Center, MetroMix has this little blurb: "In recent years, the building has been fully rehabbed and turned into an apt. building, with a cozy basement area for indie rock shocks." In addition to that, LA City Planning shows that the space applied for a conditional use for alcohol in 2006 with plans for a bar from the creators of Beauty Bar, The Room, and The Burgundy Room. Thanks to unhappy neighbors, it was denied.
3) Los Angeles: Several emailers and commenters know the answer. Via an email: "Entourage house...Bird Streets...Leo DiCaprio lives across the street.... And as stated many times, yes, the home belongs to SBE supper-club/hotel-magnate Sam Nazarian."