Meet Dr. Anton

As a wife, model and down-to-earth mom of two toddlers, Peggy has endeared herself to Housewives watchers. She’s definitely kept it real – having shared some intimate life details, including a struggle with post-partum depression and her journey through a recent reconstructive breast augmentation.

We spoke with Dr. Mark Anton, the Newport Beach plastic surgeon who performed Peggy’s procedure and who has been featured alongside her this season as she’s transitioned through her much-publicized surgery. Dr. Anton shared his thoughts on being an Orange County plastic surgeon and on his experience with filming the reality TV series.

TLD: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A PLASTIC SURGEON?
Dr. Anton: I’ve been a board-certified plastic surgeon for more than 20 years with fellowship training in both Facial Surgery and Breast Surgery. I opened my private practice, Anton Aesthetics, in Newport Beach in 1990.

TLD: WHAT IS YOUR AESTHETIC AND PHILOSOPHY AS A PLASTIC SURGEON?
Dr. Anton: I believe that natural and balanced results are always achievable with plastic surgery when one understands anatomy and sculpting. Having excelled at anatomy in medical school, I bring a strong foundation and understanding to the plastic surgeon’s medium that has allowed me to generate successful results and maintain one of the lowest complication rates among my peers. Optimal outcomes are attained through a combination of experience and a surgeon’s ability to artistically interpret and shape a patient’s existing morphology.

TLD: WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR MOST REWARDING EXPERIENCES AS A SURGEON?
Dr. Anton: I’ve had so many that it’s difficult to select just a few. In my private practice, I’m often reminded of how a cosmetic procedure can be an overwhelmingly positive and life-altering experience for patients. It’s gratifying to know that you were able to contribute to those outcomes.

Outside of my private practice, I traveled to Haiti in 2010 in conjunction with Operation Smile to provide surgical assistance to earthquake survivors. It was a humbling experience to say the least. Despite their dire circumstances, the collective spirit of the Haitian people was amazing to witness. Their strength, resiliency and graciousness in the midst of insurmountable obstacles are qualities we can all learn from.

TLD: HOW DID YOU BECOME PEGGY TANOUS’ SURGEON?
Dr. Anton: Peggy was referred to Anton Aesthetics by a friend and former patient. I consulted with her regarding her breast augmentation revision after she had met with several other plastic surgeons. We discussed her concerns and she subsequently selected me to help her. In my experience, patients not only need to feel confident in their surgeon’s technical and sculpting abilities, but need to feel that they can communicate well and feel comfortable with the entire staff, from the nurses to the office personnel.

TLD: WERE YOU AT ALL HESITANT TO PARTICIPATE IN A REALITY TV SERIES?
Dr. Anton: Sure. I was apprehensive and gave the opportunity considerable thought, but knowing that I could assist Peggy through a difficult situation influenced my decision to move forward. My staff and I were primarily concerned that our reputation for professionalism and quality patient care remain paramount. Thanks to Bravo, appearing on the show was ultimately a positive and memorable experience.

TLD: WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO FILM A REALITY TV SERIES?
Dr. Anton: It was interesting to be part of the behind the scenes action and to witness how “real” the series actually is. There’s also an unnerving element of watching yourself on screen and the suspense of which footage will make it through the editing process and onto the show.

TLD: WHAT SURPRISED YOU THE MOST ABOUT FILMING THE SHOW?
Dr. Anton: How drama-free the experience turned out to be. Peggy, her husband Micah and the entire Bravo staff were a pleasure to work with and made filming remarkably easy.

Anton Aesthetics offers the full spectrum of plastic surgery and state-of-the-art skin care. To learn more about Dr. Anton and to view his portfolio of work, please visit AntonAesthetics.com.

ANTON AESTHETICS
Mark A. Anton, M.D., F.A.C.S • Nancy Pellegrino, N.P.
949.722.1967
361 Hospital Road, Suite 427
Newport Beach, CA
AntonAesthetics.com

Dana Point Grand Prix 2011

Gear up for a great weekend of family fun, excitement and cycling action at the Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling. This 5th annual event happens Sunday, May 1st at 7:00 a.m. around a dynamic downtown race course in picturesque Dana Point. Over $30,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded to participating cyclists from around the country.

One of the most prestigious one-day professional bicycle races in America, the Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling is a family-oriented event promoting healthy lifestyles that also raises money for outstanding charities. This year’s race, the Breakaway from Cancer Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling, supports the Pacific Meso Center at the Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute in Los Angeles.

Overlooking Dana Point Harbor, in the scenic downtown and Heritage Park neighborhood, professional and amateur athletes compete on an exciting technical and challenging L-shaped race course that offers a unique spectator experience for fans and the community. The course begins on Pacific Coast Highway (Del Prado) and winds its way through downtown Dana Point into Heritage Park and the adjoining residential community before finishing on a long straightaway on PCH.

Check out the cyclists as they take a spin on one of the most challenging criterium courses in the country. With 11 amateur and professional races, 6 kids’ races and a new and improved Fan Zone, the Dana Point Grand Prix is sure to be an action-packed day of fun for the whole family. This year, the event also introduces a Kids Zone, featuring bike safety demonstrations, games, contests and vendors for the future cyclists of America.

The 2011 Grand Prix has been selected by USA Cycling as a member of the National Racing Calendar, an exclusive series comprising 34 race events in major U.S. cities representing American Pro/Am bicycle racing at its finest. Dana Point was selected to be part of this exclusive group not only because of its beauty, but because of its proactive community involvement with children and cycling advocacy.

Here is the local lowdown on South County hot spots!

Bringing you American cuisine in a relaxed environment, Sundried Tomato simulates the complete gameday experience with prime viewing, tasty food and drinks and fantastic cash prizes. Equipped with four flat-screen TVs and a 46 incher on the patio, Sundried Tomato San Clemente party-goers won’t miss a moment of the action. Feeling lucky? Then rush over for their cash prize raffle of $250 at each quarter and a $500 cash prize at the end of the game.

San Juan’s Sundried Tomato is also getting in on the action, offering $250 at halftime and $250 at the end of the game. Fans will score on fare that ranges from filet of beef tacos to braised beef sliders.

If you’re looking for unique ambiance in which to watch the game, you will find it in the form of a swanky, fully-restored 1927 Pullman Car at The Vintage Steakhouse. Located adjacent to the train station in downtown San Juan Capistrano, the art deco-styled restaurant will be offering their happy hour menu throughout Super Bowl Sunday. Consisting of half-priced Lounge Menu items, $4.95 martinis and well drinks, $2.50 select beers and $5 wines, you can’t afford not to hop aboard!

We’ve got a line on big fun in Laguna Beach. At The House of Big Fish, five large HD flat-screens, sumptuous seafood, more than 40 different beers, a complimentary nacho bar and a new Bloody Mar bar are the name of the game. Raffle prizes will be given away every quarter and a grand prize giveaway for a one night stay at La Casa del Camino in Laguna and Hotel Menage in Anaheim, along with gift certificates to House of Big Fish, The Rooftop Lounge and K’ya Bistro are yours to win.

For serious football fanatics, Renaissance Café is broadcasting the game on a giant 12 foot screen and on four additional LCD TVs. A $15 all-you-can-eat buffet and $5 beers will ensure that your appetite will be satisfied and your thirst will be well-quenched. The festivities will start at 2 p.m. with prizes being awarded at the end of each quarter.

At The Next Door in San Clemente, you’ll be greeted by an upscale, yet casual viewing experience and a unique menu reflecting the regional fare of the competing Super Bowl teams. Don’t miss their 25 cent wings, eight homemade beers and over forty wines from which to choose.

Super Bowl XLV watchers will be cheering Luxe’s happy hour specials, delish tapas-style small plates and generous giveaways. Located in Dana Point on Del Prado Avenue in the former space of the Purple Feet restaurant, this newly-opened spot will not only feature the game, but an appearance by the Bud Girls. Drink specials include: $3 draft beers, $4 cocktails, $6 martinis and $5 wines by the glass.

Sunsets in Capo Beach will offer up a spirited Super Bowl Sunday along with superior scenery. With a hard-to-beat ocean view, this island-style bar offers an interesting approach to catching all the gridiron. The bar will literally be split down the middle into two sections right down to the décor, food and beverages representing each team’s region. Wear your favorite team’s colors and you’ll receive $1 beers each time they score.

Thanksgiving Day Activities in Dana Point
By Nichole Chambers

Want to work up your Thanksgiving Day appetite? Then be one of the 12,000 participants expected to flock to the 33rd annual Dana Point Turkey Trot on November 25th. Benefiting the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, this festive Dana Point event is a wonderful way to give back to your community in the spirit of the race’s mantra: “Run so others can eat.”

Drawn by pristine harbor scenery, a good cause and a great chance to burn some calories before the day’s feast, runners from Orange County to Kenya and just about everywhere in between have long enjoyed the annual Dana Point Turkey Trot for its 5K, 10K and Kids’ Gobble Wobble race for ages 5-12.

Last year’s brilliant sun and sparkling ocean beckoned the biggest turnout in the history of the event. Dubbed “America’s Turkey Trot,” the 32nd annual race attracted more than 11,000 participants from more than 45 states and five countries.

The runners always have a good time, with several dressing in costumes appropriate to the season. The result is a holiday parade of plume-bedecked runners, a throng of turkey-masked, brown-shirted gobblers with their bellies appropriately stuffed and an occasional trotting Santa Claus pushing a double baby jogger.

This year’s theme focuses on the rich history of this international event, which has contributed to putting Dana Point Harbor on the map. While the fun-filled event officially marks the beginning of the holiday season in this seaside city, its goal is to help raise money for a great cause. Turkey Trot organizers hope to raise $30,000 to $50,000 for the food bank.

“The Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County is proud to once again be a beneficiary of the Turkey Trot event for the ninth year in a row,” said Joe Schoeinigh, Director of the food bank. “We hope to raise awareness of the hunger issue in Orange County and raise significant funds for our neighbors in need. The public is welcome to stop by our booth during the event and learn more about volunteering and other ways to get involved in the fight against hunger in Orange County.”

There’s still time to register for this year’s race. Fees are just $40 if you register by November 21st and $45 thereafter. Please note that race day registration is not available for the 10K event. For information about volunteering or participating in the 2010 Dana Point Turkey Trot, visit www.turketrot.com or contact the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce at 949.496.1555. You can also text TURKEYTROT to 44264 for race updates, discounts and chances to win prizes.

Lewis & Clark a Journey to Explore

A couple of adventurers named Meriwether and William set out more than two centuries ago to explore the West, only you probably know them better by their surnames: Lewis and Clark.

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark began their journey to explore and map the American West in 1804. Now, more than 200 years later, their remarkable journey can be examined and revisited at Mission San Juan Capistrano’s museum exhibit, “Lewis and Clark Expedition Across America,” starting with its opening on November 1st and running until March of 2011.

Lewis and Clark were initially accompanied by a crew of men, and later, by the Shoshone Indian guide and interpreter, Sacajawea, and her infant son. They traveled by river and by land from St. Louis, Missouri to the Oregon coast, and back again. The very trail Lewis and Clark traversed is the focus of a special added photography exhibit, “Lewis and Clark Revisited: A Trail in Modern Day.”

This secondary exhibit is an immersive educational experience, offering visitors a chance to become the original corpsmen of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Visitors of all ages will find something in the exhibit to enjoy from the photo exhibit for adults to the interactive stations for students. The engaging stations will bring students along the trail’s highlights, allowing them to explore animal and plant life of the prairies, encounter Native American nations, leaving them with a better understanding of the challenges the Corps of Discovery met on their journey. “There’s something for everyone in this exhibit,” says Mechelle Lawrence-Adams, Executive Director of the Mission.

THE “LEWIS AND CLARK REVISITED:
A Trail in Modern Day” exhibition tour was organized by Greg MacGregor and the California Exhibition Resources Alliance (CERA). CERA is a network of professionally operated museums and cultural organizations that collaborate to create and tour smaller, affordable, high quality exhibitions that enhance civic engagement and humanunderstanding. CERA is supported by generous grants from The James Irvine Foundation and The William Randolph Hearst Foundation.

Fiendish Fun For All
By Shelley T. Hudson

DANA POINT
A fun-for-the-whole-family event is Dana Wharf Sportfishing’s annual Halloween Kids Boo Cruise. Each 20-minute harbor cruise leaves from Dana Point Harbor and features a costume contest, candy and more. This popular event is free and always draws a crowd, so come early and be prepared for a boatload of fun on Friday, October 29th from 5 to 7 p.m. For further info, call 949. 496.5794.

The Ocean Institute continues its Halloween tradition with the Tidepool of Terrors providing fun and learning for all ages. Interactive “spooky science labs” including Vampires of the Deep and Ghastly Goo encourage hands-on participation and trick-or-treating throughout the aquarium keeps those busy little legs moving. Critter crafts and a story-telling pirate round out the activities. Regular admission is $4.50 for children and $6.50 for adults, but kids in costume are free and eligible for the costume contest. This event takes place on Saturday, October 30th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is a fun, easy introduction to ocean sciences and marine life. Call 949.496.2274 for details.

Little ghosts and goblins can also enjoy the Haunted Campground event at Doheny State Beach on Saturday, October 30th from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Each year the campground is transformed into a carnival with crafts, booths and a special “kid fun zone.” Children are encouraged to wear costumes and to bring along a non-perishable food item to donate. Admission is free. Phone 949.496.6172 for more information.

LAGUNA NIGUEL
The 10th Annual Haunted Trails in Laguna Niguel runs for three nights and promises to be scarier than ever! This year’s theme is “Niguel-o-polis: Urban Terror.” The outdoor walk-through maze will lead you through frightening cities of the year 2050 including New York City’s subway system and Central Park and San Francisco’s Chinatown. Special guests will include New Orleans zombies and various other nefarious characters. Your 15-minute guided tour will end in a swampy graveyard—if you make it that far. This event is best for thrill-seekers aged eight and older. Remember to wear comfortable shoes to walk (or run!) the trails. Admission is $10 at the onsite Parks & Rec building. Event dates and times are Thursday, October 28th from 6:30 to 9 p.m., Friday, October 29th from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. and Saturday, October 30th from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Call 949.362.4351 to learn more.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO
The Haunted House of Illusions at Zax Studios in San Juan Capistrano is billed as “a magic show with a haunted twist.” This unconventional haunted house features professional magicians performing scary tricks that fool the eye and send shivers down the spine. Each elaborate scene is another terror-fying performance! Proceeds benefit the CARE Foundation and the local school district. Great for gremlins eight and older. Tickets are $8 and may be purchased at Zax Studios, participating costume stores and online. Check it out Friday, October 29th from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, October 30th from 4 to 9 p.m. For additional information, call 949.388.5802 or log on towww.hauntedhouseofillusions.com.

The San Juan Capistrano Historical Society’s Walking Ghost Tours are offered at 6:30, 7:00 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 30th. Each tour begins at the O’Neill Museum and the haunting ghost tales of California’s oldest neighborhood are told while you wander down Los Rios Street. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 949.493.8444. Bundle up, because the Ghost Tour is chilling!

SC Open Skate & Surf Championships

Whether you love to skate, surf or just watch the action from the sideline or sand-come out and enjoy the annual SC Open Skate and Surf Championships. On September 18th and 19th, the contest will offer both male and female amateur and sponsored boarders a chance to showcase their best run, wave or both! Hosted by the Friends of San Clemente Beaches, Parks and Recreation Foundation, the San Clemente High School Surf Team and the City of San Clemente, the event promises fun and a spirited competition for all ages.

The skateboarding contest will begin at 8 a.m. at the Ralphs Skate Park on September 18th. Contestants will be divided into groups according to their age and will have two 45-second runs to show their stuff. Three judges will be on hand to assign numerical scores to each competitor–based on style, moves displayed and level of difficulty. Midway through the tournament, a “Best Trick” contest, sponsored by Lost Enterprises, will give pro skaters an opportunity to win prizes by performing their most impressive trick. 

On September 19th, contestants in the shortboard surf contest, held at the north side of the San Clemente Pier, will compete in heats of five or six competitors at a time and will likewise be scored.

First, second and third-place winners will be awarded medals, ribbons and prize packages including surf and skate products. All participants will receive a bag filled with surf and skate goodies such as stickers, T-shirts and surf wax. Some of this year’s sponsors are C1RCA, Lost Enterprises, Ralphs, Rusty, orthodontist Dr. Mogavero, and the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce. The Skate & Surf event is also a fundraising opportunity for the Friends of San Clemente so that they may continue to promote and inspire local boarders.

Both the skate and surf contests will feature skateboard manufacturers, industry magazines, T-shirt companies, demonstrations by professional skateboarders, entertainment, music and delicious food.

“Seeing the winners receive their awards and become the champions of their community, many for the first time, in view of their peers and parents, is a beautiful thing,” said Don Kindred, chairman of the event. “If we happen to make a little money for the parks, well that’s okay, too.”

The SC Skate & Surf Contest has seen its share of famous skaters. Ryan Sheckler, an X Games gold medal winner, competed in the very first contest in 2000 and is well-remembered for jumping entirely out of the skate park.

For more information about the contest, please contact Peggy Lacayo at 949.361.8358 or email her at LacayoP@san-clemente.org. For event sponsorships, call Don Kindred, Event Coordinator for the Beaches, Parks and Recreation Foundation, at 949.492.8981. The Ralphs Skate Park is located at 241 Avenida La Pata in San Clemente. Contest entry fees are $35 for each event. On-site registration and pre-registration check-in will begin at 7:00 a.m. on each day of the event. Skaters will be required to wear protective safety equipment including helmets and knee and elbow pads.