In my nearly 4 years in SL, I have found the best place for socializing is the Forum Cartel Hangout in world. It hosts dancing, freebies, live music,chatting, the greatest and most diversified crowd in SL (my opinion), sandbox, photo studio and freebies for noobs. The people are always welcoming and willing to assist with questions and/or, you can normally find someone to kick about the grid with there or in the group chat. If you are having trouble finding people or friends, I highly recommend the hangout