It's not exactly a national holiday, but my less-than-scientific research on years of Super Bowl Sunday in Hawaii has concluded several things: bars, sports bars and retail electronics departments fill with rabid sports fans. And beaches and surf breaks are little pocket ghost towns. Nice.

Unless my home-town favorite Philadelphia Eagles football team is in a Super Bowl, then I watch for the commercials and the half-time show. I guess it's like buying a magazine for the articles, LOL.

It's probably the case in every neighborhood in Hawaii, where we all live pretty much in each other's armpits, that about 87 percent of the people are watching the same sporting event on TV. You can tell when UH football is on and when someone scores a touchdown or scoops an interception. If your skylights are open, you can hear who cheers for who, who is really disappointed, and whose team just won!

But if you want to get out of the hale and aren't going to a party, how about checking out East Oahu establishments for some HDTV NFL thrills?

There are some fine spots to watch the Super Bowl in East Oahu. Therapy Bar & Grill and Kona Brewing at Koko Marina Shopping Center instantly come to mind. So does Cha Cha Cha Salsaria and The Shack over at Hawaii Kai Shopping Center. That new place at Hawaii Kai Towne Center, Maile's Thai Cuisine, has an awesome TV hanging above the bar. Stuffed chicken wing dance? Who knows? Even Costco Hawaii Kai might be a few fans deep in the electronics ghetto.

But don't rule out a less than obvious option: 24 Hour Fitness anyone? I find that 24HF Hawaii Kai, especially on the weekends, is SportsTV central. Lots of guys, lots of sweat, and four TVs brewing with sports and the funniest commercials on the air. Instead of grinding on gumbo or chomping on chili, you can watch and burn a ton of calories while the Super Bowl -- and I'll bet money on this -- will be on every TV hanging in 24-Hour Fitness Hawaii Kai.

I'll let you in on a little secret: ESPN gets a little tedious and seems to repeat its cycle way too fast, but when it's college sports, you can bet every wahine in 24HF Hawaii Kai has her eyeballs trained on a TV. What a great cover for breaking a sweat.

I used to get really ticked when some guy would change the TV station from Headline News or CNN for sports, but, I'm over it. During the week, when the butt-crack-of-dawn folks are there from 3-5 in the morning, we sometimes break our news routine to watch professional tennis at Wimbledon or le Tour de France. I draw the line at wrestling and dirt bike riding. Extreme Sports? Wince!

Whatever you do on Super Bowl Sunday, have a blast, be or designate a driver, and...who's playing again?

Even as far west as Wal-Mart Keeaumoku, you just might run into an East Oahu friend and neighbor. The other day during my lunch break, I ran into Laura Buck, one of the board members and organizers of the Independence Day at Maunalua Bay. She's preparing for a fundraiser by Blu Water Grill at Hawaii Kai Shopping Center on Monday evening, November 23, 6-10 p.m.

The fundraiser, sponsored in part by Blu Water Grill, Hawaii Kai Shopping Center and Les Saisons, will feature a silent auction, holiday and plant sales, door prizes, and entertainment by Heart Song.

Independence Day at Maunalua Bay fundraiser

The event will include the review and judging of finalists' submissions for the annual logo contest by East Oahu children. The logo will be used in materials for the 2010 event.

Although many think the fund-raising effort for the Independence Day at Maunalau Bay is all about the fireworks, that's only part of the story. The 501c3 non-profit contributes 75 percent of its income for college scholarships.

Because of that, Buck and her fellow board members have been successful in acquiring donations from many area retailers and services such as Bark Avenue, Blu Water Grill, Cha Cha Cha Salsaria, Cookie's Clothing Company, Curves, Han's gallery, Hawaii Balloon Company, Hawaii Water Sports Center, Kokonuts Shave Ice & Snacks, Kona Brewing Company, Massage Bodyworks, Outback Steakhouse -- Hawaii Kai, Pacific Paws Doggie Resort & Spa, RS Nii Nursery, Safeway, Seabreeze Watersports Hawaii, Serenity & Massage and StorSecure Self Storage. Also participating is Silpada Designs Silver Jewelry,  BeautiControl, and Livable Hawai Kai Hui.

Buck welcomes everyone to the event, and said people should come early for the sales and silent auction.

"You know you always get a great deal at a silent auction," Buck said. "We're counting on a great turnout!"