Caroline in the City

Caroline is in her apartment blowing up balloons for Richard's birthday. Del comes in and tells her his parents are in town and want to meet her. Caroline is reluctant because his mother didn't like either of Del's wives. Richard arrives, Caroline singing "Happy Birthday" so he walks out again. When he comes back she says Happy Birthday and Del tells Richard about his 30th birthday, which Richard says he's fine with. Caroline agrees to meet Del's parents that night. Caroline tells Richard she couldn't decide whether to get him a present or not and hands him a large box which, to Richard's pleasure, contains a check.



Later that day Caroline is out buying a dress when Annie comes in and teases Richard about turning 30. Caroline returns but the dress still has the security tag on ti, which Annie removes. Richard leaves early saying he has a big party planned for his birthday, which Annie doesn't believe and she sticks the tag from Caroline's dress on his coat as he leaves. Meanwhile Del and Charlie are in a subway train, Charlie forcing Del to listen to his latest idea – birthday cards for pets.



Annie goes to the video store and Chandler Bing from Friends tries to hit on her and fails. She then sees Richard in there and makes fun of his choice, a movie called "The Passion of Anna", a tragic tale about a disabled woman. When he goes to pay Richard is told he can get a free rental and Annie puts her choice on the counter. Back at home Annie discovers the videos have been switched.



At Remo's Caroline arrives but Del hasn't gotten there yet. After seeing a very rude woman Remo agrees to let Caroline hide in the kitchen until Del gets there as Caroline thinks she's in for a long evening. On the subway Del's train stops, trapping him and Charlie.



Annie gets to Richard's flat where he's trying to make microwave popcorn with a hairdryer. They switch videos through the gap left by Richard's door chain and Annie asks where the big party is, which Richard says was postponed. Annie tells him she was stood up so he lets her in. He admits he was lying about the party and Annie makes fun of him because she was lying about being stood up. She says she's had bad birthdays before and they sit talking about their bad experiences while sharing a bottle of wine.



The rude woman comes into Remo's kitchen and tells Caroline to help her. When she tries to escape Caroline is knocked over by the door and throws a bowl of salad she was carrying over the woman, who then storms out of the kitchen.



Back in Richard's apartment he tells Annie about being less pleased about turning 30 that he'd said he was. He wanted to have a painting on the wall of a museum before he turned 30. Annie tells him to get his coat and they leave. Richard draws on the outside wall of the Museum of Modern Art and Annie congratulates him on achieving his ambition.



Back in the restaurant the woman complains angrily to her companion about Caroline who finally decides to introduce herself. When the woman won't let her sit down she shouts at them about how rude she'd been. Del finally arrives and tells Caroline that the couple she's shouting at are not his parents.