Hi Turtle!
I love my Stella bag. I bought mine 2 years ago, and I still use it all the time. Like you, I take the Metro to work, so I love the bag's functionality. I love the heavy zippers, and the pushlock pockets. I put my Metro card in the pushlock pocket. It's very durable, the leather is awesome, and mine has definitely withheld a lot. When I got mine, it was with the canvas interior, which I prefer over the suede interior of the later bags. I think if you really love it, go for it. You can still find it at Neiman's and Saks (at least in the DC area), or order it from reputable sites like eluxury.com. I really love it...let me know what you decide!