For just under a grand you can get a Leupold VX-6 2x-12x (an excellent scope) or a Swarovski Z3 (can't go wrong), and for $1,500 or so a Swarovski Z5 would be a great choice. A VX-6 or Z3 and a good set of rings would probably be my choice.
Be aware that certain other optics forums are set up to steer new users into only products that they can sell for a large margin, and are seeded with posters that either work for the retailers or friends (they are all "experts"). You are always best advised to look at the scopes yourself, as your opinion is the only one that matters.