There's no hokey in Poky.

So I hear it all the time, and if you live here presently or have ever lived here before, I'm sure you have too. The irritating moans from those members of our small community who lament that Pocatello is the “armpit” of Idaho, an uninteresting hole with nothing to offer its residents. You know these people, you’ve had conversations with these people, hell, and you may even be these people. But what is it about this place that breeds such animosity and disdain?

I don’t get it. Cause the way I see it, Pocatello is a pretty great place to live.

Now I'll admit that I’ve never really left my hometown, and the fact that I’ve never “gotten out” and “experienced the world” might impede my perception, but it isn’t like I’ve never been outside city limits. I’ve been to big cities; I’ve been sick off sushi in Portland, my husband proposed to me at a pub in Seattle, I ate a sixty dollar steak in San Francisco, and I’ve sipped tequila in Mexico. And while I concede that my perception of Pocatello might be viewed as narrow minded, I’ve traveled just enough to make an educated comparison between the small town that I call home and the big cities that others place in such high esteem.

I recently addressed this issue on Facebook, asking friends to post on the pros and cons of living in a small town like Pocatello, and predictably the most common argument against Pocatello was a lack of culture. Now this is not surprising at all, as the most common vocalized argument I hear about Pocatello seems to go something like this:

“Pocatello sucks and there is nothing to do."

Nothing to do? Really? There is nothing to do? There are literally thousands of things to do.

Now granted, you can’t play Sex and the City and order Momofuku ramen with pork belly, pork shoulder and a poached egg at 12am, but…you can get a Whiz and Eggs Cheese Steak from Pocatello’s locally owned premium sandwich shop Efresh at 12am, or even 3am. And believe me; this sandwich would blow Carrie Bradshaw and her gang straight out of the water.

Mounds of beef, onions and mushrooms, topped with gooey, greasy, glorious cheese whiz and two yolky eggs just waiting to spill their creamy goodness all over your tongue. Who needs New York when you have yolky eggs?

"But wait," you say, "An egg sandwich isn't culture."

And that’s what Pocatello's missing right? Culture? Ok, but what is culture?

Now I’m no definition expert, but I think the Poky naysayers use the term culture to describe a sophisticated array of community events relating to education, arts, and of course, nightlife.

Ok, so again, this isn't New York. You won't be mesmerized by Julie Taymor's costume design while watching The Lion King on Broadway. But, you could check out one of your four local community theatres for some amazing and thought provoking performances. In fact, the Old Town Actors Studio is currently showcasing a production dramatizing Jesus and the Apostles. What’s the twist? They’re all gay. Now that seems pretty cultured for a humdrum mountain town.

And Poky is also home to Idaho State University. Education? Got it. Culture? Check.

According to the University website, International students now make up over 10% of the total student population. How does that diversity taste?

And with diversity comes opportunities to experience different cultures. Want to visit Africa? How about Nepal, or Saudi Arabia? You don't have to travel far. Just head up to the state-of-the-art Stephens Performing Arts Center and check out one of the many International Night celebrations hosted by international student clubs and organizations.

The Stephen's also hosts a variety of other events and is rated #4 in the nation according to the BestValueSchools.com "Top 25 University Performing Arts Centers".

But hold on, I can still hear the faint echo of complaints:

“But the nightlife sucks…sucks…sucks."

I disagree! The nightlife can be great!

Pocatello offers a plethora of bars. Seriously, a plethora. And depending on what type of night you are looking to have, I’m sure Poky has the perfect watering hole for you. Wanna be classy, and sip wine with the ladies while scoping for hunks? Check out The Bridge. Or are you into local music and a low-key, smoky atmosphere? If so, The First National is right up your alley. You can ride a bull at the Green-T. You can dance the night away at Club Charley's. You can sing the night away at the Odyssey. And you can hang with the ‘good ol’ boys’ at The Bourbon Barrel.

Get the picture? We have bars.

Ok, so bars aren’t exactly your idea of nightlife. I get that. But Poky also has some great local restaurants that offer food, drink and entertainment. Check out Portneuf Valley Brewing for great locally brewed beers, delicious food, and live music. Marigolds wine flights are an awesome way to spend a few bucks and try some great wine varieties. Poky also offers the First Friday Art Walk and Revive at Five, both of which showcase local food and talent while bringing attention to the Historic Downtown District.

So we have good food, some great theatre, education, diversity and nightlife. Seems pretty cultured to me. And if you don’t believe me you can hit up the Southeast Idaho Event Calendar. From locally owned Panda Pole ski promo parties, to the Idaho State University Student Honors Program Opportuni-Tea, Pocatello honestly has a lot to offer.

So I think the real issue here isn't a lack of culture, it's a lack of involvement. Even in the big cities, you have to get out there, the fun isn't going to come to you. So all you Poky haters, get out there and experience all the good that our little town has to offer.

And if you still don’t like it…move.

#pocatellopokyhokeyculturesmalltown