Carrie has overslept and rushes like crazy though bogged-down traffic, for she has the honor to open Wall Street by ringing the bell, and has her first 'official' date with Jack Berger, but takes the girls' advice to date simultaneously, notably graphic designer Applegate, a disaster.

Carrie is taken with her romantic Berger, except when it comes to taking her in bed, and admits it to the other girls in the vegan restaurant where the cooking is so light it deserves the name Raw (but restaurant?)- where Samantha dragged them just because the waiter is too hot to miss out on.

Carrie finally sees Berger's apartment, and likes it but hears it's the work of his ex Lauren, just as his sleeping sounds machine. Big suddenly phones her from California. Charlotte aces her Judaism classes, but is shocked that she must abandon all Christian traditions, even Christmas trinkets.

Charlotte is shocked and Berger slightly embarrassed when Samantha enthusiastically explains how she enjoys role-plays with her sexy actor Jerry "Smith" Jerrod. Miranda is relieved when he says a man not calling her back just means not interested, as men don't send sexual double messages.

Carrie drags Berger along shopping to Prada, and brags with a check from her publisher for success in Europe, but learns then her publisher dumped both her supervisor Courtney and Berger; when he takes her on a rather wild bike ride, she freaks out.

Carrie finds being an 'irreplacable' freelance writer is not an excuse to dodge jury duty. After her break-up with Harry, Charlotte keeps going to synagogue alone, where Jewish ladies swarm to match her to their eligible sons, but she dishes neither till Harry reappears.

The quartet's morning meeting hears counterbalancing news: Charlotte is elated to show her engagement ring from Harry while Carrie, infuriatingly pissed off, is determined not to make the day 'the day she got broke up with a post-it', as Berger chose this excessively succinct medium to beat her to the dumping line.

Vogue sends Carrie to report on the latest fitness craze, trapeze 'flying', and she's hooked. Charlotte and Harry prepare for her second perfect wedding, helped by Anthony. Harry's funny friend Howie gets on with Carrie, but in bed drills like a rabbit.

Carrie has no luck at a baby shower: Stanford snatched the last good gift from the list, and host Kyra makes everybody take off their shoes. Carrie's Manolos disappear and Miranda insists she should be compensated. Kyra offers to pay for them until she finds out they cost $485.

Carrie agrees to a reunion to see how her high-school crush -whom she dumped- is, and finds Jeremy got even more attractive. Back in hot Manhattan Samantha can't get through the waiting list for Soho House club which has a pool with service, but picks up someone's forgotten pass.

Carrie hears Big is in New York to get a 'routine' heart operation and fears for his life; sharing his convalescence makes them close again, but not for long. Miranda is getting on with her neighbor and boyfriend Dr. Robert Leeds, enough to take her first true day off work ever to spend in bed with him.

When Carrie follows Charlotte to a performance by a woman in Chelsea who speaks nor eats, she meets famous Russian painter and sculptor Aleksandr Petrovsky, who is intrigued by Carrie's cavalier attitude. Samantha, who bravely announces she is 45 and getting glasses, tries to rejuvenate herself by an intimate hair-coloring.

After three weeks, Carrie gets a written invitation from Aleksandr; they start flirting and end up in bed. Charlotte looks for a new perfume and a volunteer career while waiting for another pregnancy. Miranda would be happy back with Steve, but keeps bumping into unforgiving yesterday's perfect man Robert.

Miranda and Steve exchange good intentions and she proposes to him, instantly sealed with a kiss; the girls wonder what to buy her, not too domestic etcetera. Carrie admires Aleksander's piano playing and poetry reading but isn't really comfortable with such old-fashioned romancing.

Carrie feels extremely welcome with Aleksandr when he spontaneously gives her keys and even the alarm code, which she can't remember. When the girls hear Miranda and Steve are going on a a honeymoon - according to Sam, 'sex with room service' - they offer to babysit Brady.

After eating at restaurants of various exotic nationalities, Aleksandr decides to cook in Carrie's apartment, where he sees and kills a mouse. What she really cannot handle is his insistence to be open about death, even from breast cancer, while she insists on avoiding the subject.

Carrie is embarrassed to be presented to Aleksandr's artistic friends now that he's getting another Paris exposition and enjoys four cold days in his apartment. Miranda is grumpy during their move to Brooklyn, but Steve delivers in every respect.

Carrie finally has a chance to present everybody to Aleksandr at a dinner, but he's rather aloof and drops the bombshell that he expects her to move with him to Paris for good. Samantha and Charlotte act supportive after some questions, but Miranda doesn't hide she's dead against the idea.

Just when Carrie is almost ready to leave for Paris for good, Mr. Big shows up in his limousine - yet she walks away from him for her last dinner with the girls, where Charlotte cries and Miranda makes up. Samantha has her personal input, from nature and experience, concerning a cancer benefit.

Carrie has lunch with Petrovsky's ex Juliette B. who tells her he always gives priority to his art above his partner- she finds that true and has a generally bad time. Charlotte prepares with Anthony to receive her promised adoption baby's birth parents.