New to XBMC - Recommended Linux Build Openelec / Ubuntu?

Hi!

I'm pulling together some equipment for my first ever HTPC, and I am a complete newbie when it comes to XBMC. I am, however, very tech savvy, but my wife & kids demand all my time so forgive me as my research into this is lacking...

I'll be grabbing a 60GB SSD ( http://goo.gl/IM0QB ) and will be installing and setting it up this weekend. I want to run Netflix (and see that there are some avenues / packages to do that with Linux Mint / Ubuntu). As--for all I can see--"XMBCBuntu" is still Ubuntu under the hood, so I assume Netflix is still possible? I'm not a fan of the Unity interface... but I can deal with it. Is XMBCBuntu easier "out of the box" compared to Linux Mint?

What about OpenElec? I assume Netflix is a no-go for OpenElec?

Thanks,
~SK