In the opening scenes at 1min 43sec the blonde seated in the spa is Anna Kournikova.
When Vera shows Joe her birthday height markings, the last one is dated 1st January 1963 and she indicates she was 10 which would make Vera's birthday January 1st 1953.
It is indicated by markings on a door, that Vera birthday is on January 1st. This would make her a Capricorn. Clare Calbraith who joins the show as Shep is actually born on January 1st (but 21 years later!).