J4K,
All of the dSLRs at your price point have pretty much the same features and specs, so it really comes down to the ergonomics and the user interface. I would suggest going down to your local camera store and actually spending some time with each of the entry-level SLRs, and seeing which one you like best. To me, the cheaper Canons have always felt a bit plasticky and well, cheap. The Nikons, on the other hand, have a great build quality and to me, it's worth the price premium. On the other hand, I like the slightly saturated pics out of the Canons straight out of the camera, whereas it takes a little bit of work to get there with the Nikons.
This is a great resource for camera research:
www.dpreview.com
And this is perhaps the greatest camera shop in the world (both online and B&M):
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/
As far as lenses are concerned, I would just go with the kit lens as a beginner. They're super cheap, relatively versatile, and capable of decent quality while you figure out the camera and figure out what you like to shoot. After that, you can figure out if you want a faster lens (e.g. larger max aperature for low light or high speed shots), larger zoom, wider, higher quality, macro, supertele, etc. Also, definitely pick up the normal lens (50mm f1.8) for whatever camera you get. They're cheap (~$100), tack sharp, and will probably be the fastest lens you own for a long time. Honestly, it's the biggest bargain in all of photography.
Finally, watch out for any deals that seem to be too good to be true (i.e. significantly lower than B&H) from stores operating out of NYC - it's probably a scam.
Good luck.
