As I remember the BFR is a bit more than just an hour with an instructor. It basically consists of some airbourne time (minimum one hour) where you demonstarte some or all of the skills required to conduct a safe flight, plus at least an hour on the ground training/answering questions and receiving tuition as required (see 14 CFR part 61:56). Mine was pretty infomal - I answered quite a few things wrong and the instructor was happy to just put me right rather than fail me. Make sure you understand their airspace fully and can read their charts properly. Also try to look at a copy of the Airport Facilities Directory before you go - get used to what all the numbers and codes mean. Oh, and ATC light signals - they seemed pretty hot on those too for some reason!
A BFR is carried out by any certified FAA instructor so it's not up to the level of a Skills Test/GFT. The basic idea is to check that you are safe to fly. For example, I'd have thought that demonstrating that you know where to look (in the POH) for the specific numbers for your aircraft is sufficient rather than knowing them all from memory. I didn't have any questionnare to fill in - just the question and answer session with the instructor.
I have a great book "Guide to the Biennial Flight Review", by Jackie Spanitz, published by "Aviation Supplies & Academincs Inc.", ISBN 1-56027-444-1 which basically contains all the excercises and questions that you can be asked. It's kinda like a mixture of the PPL confuser (without the answers) and the CAA Aviation Safety leaflets. It cost about $5 from an FBO over there - priceless reference. It's intended as a guide both for the candidate and the instructor giving the review and is full of useful info. The guy who did my BFR gave me about 1hr to read it over lunch and then we did the test.
As for the FSDO, I suppose it's worth asking if you can change to LGB. After all, it'd just mean they have to send a copy of the letter to the other office - hardly rocket science for them. You can get the FSDO phone number from the FAA website - call them now and get it sorted! If not, arrange to call at the LAX one on arrival (I assume you're flying into LAX) and get it over and done with - you'll be much happier with the peice if paper in your pocket, believe me!