What is the best way...

After been with my last GF for 4 years and spending the next year getting over that disaster zone, I've just about managed to put my life back together.  Now I'm ready to go out and meet some new people.  I find the scene to be quite cliquey and if you don't know someone, you're not gonna know them unless it's by association.  I kind of want to meet someone in my normal everyday life, like in a coffee shop or a book store or anywhere where it's not loud and really busy...off the clubbing scene kinda.  Any ideas?