THE PARTIES

AFTER MORE THAN three hours of sitting still and minding their manners, it was time for Oscar-goers to mix, mingle, and gossip. But picking a post-Oscar party made pre-Oscar sartorial decisions look simple, as celebrities hopped from event to event like Easter bunnies on speed. At Vanity Fair's Mortons shindig, Brad cooed with Gwyneth, Tom nuzzled Nicole, and Kevin Spacey, mom in tow, clung to his statue like a man in love. Over at Drai's, Emma Thompson traded her front-row seat for the lap of her paramour (and Sense and Sensibility costar), Greg Wise, whence she held forth with Sensers Alan Rickman and Kate Winslet. Christopher Reeve held court at the more formal Governors Ball: 480 waiters served 19,000 appetizers -- including an Oscar-shaped salmon -- to golden guests Susan Sarandon, Mel Gibson, and Mira Sorvino (her father, Paul, graciously bore the burden of her statue). The late shift saw the Sorvinos plus 20-some relatives at Miramax's Spago party; Sandra Bullock, Nicolas Cage, and Patricia Arquette hit Elton John's bash at Maple Drive. At Georgia, Quincy Jones and three of his daughters danced to cries of ''Go, Quincy! Go, Quincy!'' The music played until 4 a.m., and for once, the crowd forgot about breakfast meetings and personal trainers and danced into the morning.