What processor and motherboard should I base my future PC on? (1st self built)

[quiet mike]

Well I am starting to research what to stick in my computer and I need some good advice.

I am going to pay top cash for the processor and no slacking on the motherboard either, and the rest comes conected with that and a few components I already own (PCI and USB stuff)

Anyways I am wondering if I should go for AMD AthlonXP 1900+ or higher, or the newer P4?

Also I know that processors come with recomended motherboards, but what brand names you guys know to be very stable (not interested in overcloking yet). Also I haven't found a board yet with USB 2.0 integrated. They all are the older USB and need to use a PCI slot for the 2.0

Anyways help is greatly apreciated. Consider chips and motherboards that are still to come since I won't start to make the PC until late summer-autum.