Street beats in Central Oakland

The din of traffic on Forbes Avenue faded if you walked a few blocks south and entered the narrow streets of Central Oakland shortly after rush hour on Wednesday. There, on Semple Street, Meyran Avenue and Atwood Street, the pace slowed. In this area of aging storefronts and historical, turn-of-the-century houses that serve as living spaces for university students, food delivery drivers hustled out of the area’s small restaurants and pedestrians passed under street lamps. For those who paused to notice, the streets sparkled with light and life.