Justin Timberlake
In his new book, Hindsight: & All the Things I Can’t See in Front of Me, Justin Timberlake takes readers on an inside-baseball journey into his creative process. It’s not often an artist with more than 32 million albums sold pulls back the curtain, but based on the sample page on his website, he is not holding back:
“I’ve been scorned. I’ve been pissed off. That feeling inspired me to write ‘Cry Me a River,’” Timberlake writes. He continues, “I wrote ‘Cry Me a River’ in two hours. I didn’t plan on writing it. The feelings I had were so strong that I had to write it…”
“Cry” is as good as any tune Timberlake has ever released, and the one where he crossed over from former boy band member to mainstream powerhouse. The “done wrong by an ex” theme is something every listener can relate to, and the R&B style feels like it could have come from the height of the genre in the 1970s.
Timberlake has expanded his repertoire over the years, not only bringing the heart-wrenching and dance-crazy hits to the stage, but becoming a solid musical-comedic performer. His work with Andy Samberg on Saturday Night Life, namely their homages to ’90s smooth R&B in parodies like “D*ck in a Box” and “Motherlover,” lives in pop cultural fame.
Then there’s his amazing chemistry with Jimmy Fallon—check out the two of them playing Bee Gees brothers Robin and Barry Gibb on the SNL sketch “The Barry Gibb Talk Show.” Recently on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the host competed against Timberlake’s wife, Jessica Biel, in a game show-type segment to see who knows the pop superstar better.
With the new insight the book brings and his constant refinement, now is as good a time as there ever has been to see Justin Timberlake in concert. –Jason Harris
T-Mobile Arena, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1, starting at $60 plus tax and fee. 888.929.7849 AXS
Dazzling Nightlife
Hakkasan
A combination of nightclub and restaurant, the five-story Hakkasan is a world of chinoiserie beauty and the epitome of nightlife extravagance. There’s the Ling Ling Club and Ling Ling Lounge—two intimate spaces playing downtempo and hip-hop. The main nightclub is enveloped in floor-to-ceiling LED screens with a massive DJ booth; and the pavilion is a garden oasis with a breathtaking water feature. –Kiko Miyasato
MGM Grand, opens at 10 p.m. Thurs.-Sun. 702.891.3838
No Problems
You can get all sorts of drinks at Margaritaville, like the Perfect margarita and the 5 O’ Clock Somewhere, a boat drink, pictured, but that’s just a start. The Volcano Nachos are considered a masterpiece by some, with the cheese and toppings evenly distributed. For a twist on dip, try the asiago crab and artichoke dip. You might not think dessert could be in the plan, but think again! Three words: Key lime pie. –Nina King
Flamingo, opens at 8 a.m. daily. 702.733.3302
House of Healing
Serenity Spa
Located on Westgate’s third-floor pool deck, Serenity Spa is one of the city’s hidden gems. And while the space is intimate, the menu is packed full of holistically healing treatments for the body and mind. There’s also the adjacent salon for mani-pedis. Enjoy treatments like the anti-aging Essence of Youth facial or the Himalayan Salt Stone Massage, which relieves tension and promotes mind/body balance. –Kiko Miyasato
Westgate Las Vegas, 6 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. 702.732.5648
