Thanks, everyone, for the food for thought and the interesting reading assignments.

I guess the next step* is for me to go find the shops that sell Jamis and Surly and go test some bikes! For comparison, I've also got an Obea Aqua Dama, a Cannondale Synapse Feminine, two Trek models, and two Specialized bikes in my "to try" list.
The Cannondale and the Specializeds are sold by the same shop, but everything else is somewhere else. I have a bit of driving to do. Maybe I'll persuade DBF to make it a date...

That Terry Isis is pretty sweet...but would need to be de-pinked. I cannot pull that off!

I think the (silly) reason I have my little heart set on that Surly Pacer is that it's steel and British racing green. Remember that post I wrote last summer about my dream low-key bike? That fits at least a few of the criteria, and I can find that honey Brooks and leather bar tape! I agree with Muirenn, though, that the Jamis is probably the best bang-for-buck. Ah well, one day...
*Besides coming up with the $$, of course.