Replying to Learning to Surf

So here's the deal: I'm moving to California in August and I want to take up surfing. I tried it once when I was vacationing in Hawaii this year and absolutely loved it.

However, I really have no idea where to start. The board I was using in Hawaii was some big-ass rubber topped thing (you can tell I know my terminology). I know I should steer clear of short boards and thrusters until I get more experienced.

What make should I start with and what are the things I should be looking for? I figured I would try NSG because the tards over at the TW Surf forums are of no help at all.

My budget for the whole setup - clothing, straps, bags, board is about $900