Ideally, you need to configure a VPN server at you San Diego location. If you are the only one that needs to connect, any Windows NT based (NT, 2000 or XP) machine could do it. Windows server edition can handle multiple connections, as could a linux box. Actually, the linux box deals with it best, in my opinion, but the others would do just fine as well.
You would need to configure your internet access router to forward port 1723 to the computer you decide to use as a server and pass pptp traffic. Not difficult at all, unless you have one of those stupid (generally older) routers that doesn't support it. If you are going to use a Windows workstation, ideally it would be the one you wish to control, but it doesn't have to be.
As the local admin, you should have access to make the needed changes, but you would need to evaluate the need to get permission to do so.