Grace Barrera

Oompa Loompyas Azella Alvarez stands in front of her Filipino food truck, Oompa Loompyas, at Solvay Field Days on Aug. 8, 2026. When Azella “Zell” Alvarez cooks, she comes alive and so does her kitchen. ‘80s music blares in her small Mattydale ghost kitchen as garlic, vinegar and cooked rice aromas permeate the air. Alvarez hums along to the music as she cooks, adding sauces and seasonings. Just a few years ago, she rarely felt joy in the kitchen.

When Azella “Zell” Alvarez cooks, she comes alive and so does her kitchen. ‘80s music blares in her small Mattydale ghost kitchen as garlic, vinegar and cooked rice aromas permeate the air. Alvarez hums along to the music as cooks, adding sauces and seasonings. Just a few years ago, she rarely felt joy in the kitchen. When Alvarez lost her 24-year-old son Justin Bolieiro unexpectedly in September 2019, her world fell apart. His favorite thing to do was cook, just like his mom.

Views: 0 Kale, snap peas, cabbage, peonies and strawberries thrive under the San Diego sun in Westminster community garden, about a half mile away from the entrance of Point Loma Nazarene University. This community garden is connected to Westminster Presbyterian Church, a congregation whose tagline is “Westminster, where art, faith and nature meet,” according to their website.