Go to a camera shop, get a feel of all the different cameras of the manufacturers, play with the cams for a while, then decide on which manufacturer you wanna go for first.
You may want to consider a Prosumer instead of a DSLR unless your passion for photography is strong enough to convince you to get a DSLR. Owning a DSLR does not mean that you will get great photos everytime.
As I have mentioned many times that given today's advanced technology, all entry level cams are able to give you very nice pictures if you use them within their limits. Big names does not equate to the best cam and small players are not necessary not up to par with the bigger boys.
Just do some homework to see which are the functions you need most and go to the shops to have a feel of the cams you have shortlisted. The most important thing is to get the one you're most comfortable with as you're the one using it. What I like you may not like.
Here are a few you can consider and do some research on. Some of the models listed may be above your budget by a little.
Nikon - D60/D90
Canon - 1000D/450D
Sony - A200 (no live view), A300/A350 (with live view)
Pentax - K200D
Olympus - E420/520
Panasonic - G1
I suggest that you start by not being lazy and expecting to be spoonfed, and try to do some research on your own. Your question gets asked about 5-10 times a week on here, and thus there are hundreds of threads that can give you all the answers you need. Next, have you even considered a budget? Have you checked the Marketplace forum section? Have you gone out and tried using some of the cameras that fit your budget? Do all that first, then you'll have a clearer idea of what to do.