I met my husband at a New Year's Party where nearly everyone there was drunk as a skunk. I had gone because I thought it would be depressing to sit at home alone, and I also thought watching a bunch of drunks might be entertaining (it was too!).
The friend was someone I used to work out with 3 times a week. We shared common interests and hung out together.
I never had any luck with the bar scene. In terms of meeting other people, joining clubs can be a good way to hook up with folks who have similar interests, likewise, doing volunteer work is a good way to meet people.
Really, meeting someone to date is a numbers game - the more people you can meet (preferably in a non-addictive situation), the more likely it is that you'll meet someone you have things in common with.
That being said, hooboy, if something happened to my husband, I doubt I would have the intestinal fortitude to re-enter the dating scene. I also know that I would be out doing things with other people though (I think my hermit days are behind me now), so it's still quite possible that I would meet interesting people and keep my interpersonal skills in good shape.