Mimi & SB,
I'm definitely stripping it down. The question is whether I powder coat it or paint it and of course, what color.
Chris @ Robinson Wheelworks says that powder coating can get close to the color but probably not as close as taking it to a paint shop.
He also says that it kinda depends on what you want to do with the bike. If it's purely utilitarian then maybe powder coat since it's more durable. If you want a show bike or a Sunday coffee house bike (maybe that's a show-off bike

) then go paint.
Way too many choices but I'm having fun!
FYI, Mimi.. Chris said for powder coating it'd be about $170 whereas paint will be about $450 or so. What was your quote? I'm also looking at possible other vendors for the paint.