Don't stop the Oscars party

Once Hollywood had honoured its best of the best, it was time for the stars to let their hair down and party. Four parties — the Governor's ball, which is the official post-Oscar gala; the Vanity Fair party; Elton John's Aids Foundation's Oscar Viewing Party; and Madonna's annual Oscar party — were the places to be seen on Sunday night in Los Angeles.

At the Governor's Ball, Natalie Portman nibbled on appetisers as Owen Wilson posed for photos with his mother. Instead of the extravagant sit-down dinner of past years, this event offered a cocktail-style format aimed at encouraging people to move through the room and schmooze. And it worked, at least on best friends Michelle Williams and Busy Philipps, who held hands as they roamed through the party.

Other stars spotted were Sandra Bullock, Meryl Streep, Jean Dujardin, Michel Hazanavicius and Octavia Spencer who rubbed shoulders with Hollywood's top execs including Disney Studios' Rich Ross, director Brad Bird, Viacom chief Philippe Dauman and MPAA chief Chris Dodd.

John celebrated 20 years of hosting his premiere Oscar fund-raising party, which saw about 900 guests, and which seeks to raise funds for HIV/Aids projects around the world.

Newly single supermodel and television host Heidi Klum looked like she was ready to mingle in a canary yellow mini as she got cheeky for photographers. She posed with fellow model Bar Refaeli and was pictured chatting merrily to Desperate Housewives star Kyle MacLachlan and his wife, Desiree Gruber.

Klum, Kim Kardashian and Katy Perry were reportedly specially asked to attend by the singer, who wanted to cheer them up. A pregnant Kourtney Kardashian was also spotted at the party.

Madge's own

Meanwhile, Madonna, whose film W.E. was nominated in the Best Costume Designer category, also hosted her traditional Oscar party. Celebs on the guest list reportedly included Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Britney Spears, Portman, Sean Penn, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Lopez and Tom Cruise.

Demi Moore, with whom Madonna has always co-hosted the event, did not attend as she is still in rehab. But according to the mirror.co.uk, Moore had apparently asked Madonna not to invite Cameron Diaz, because she flirted with her ex-husband Ashton Kutcher at a Golden Globes party in January.

Interestingly, word in Hollywood was out that Madonna and John were trying to outdo each other with their respective parties. The singers have a history of taking jabs at each other. At the Golden Globes in January, John said Madonna had "no f***ing chance" of winning an Award for the Best Song, for which he was also nominated. Madonna later took home the award.

A few kilometres away, California's famous In-N-Out burgers were served up at the annual Vanity Fair party, regarded as one of the hottest tickets in town on Academy Awards night.

Stars such as Chris Rock, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and record producer Sean "Diddy" Combs hurried down the red carpet in search of food and drink after attending the more than three-hour Oscars show.

British actor Colin Firth, last year's best actor Oscar winner, said that presenting the Academy Award to Streep on Sunday was the "moment of a lifetime".

Host Billy Crystal spent some time at the Governor's Ball but looked tired by the time he reached the Vanity Fair gala around midnight.

"I had a very good time. It was a really beautiful show," he said. Asked if he was relieved it was all over, he replied, "Wouldn't you be?"

Glenn Close, a best actress nominee for Albert Nobbs, said she thought Streep's acceptance speech was "wonderful".

"I think she certainly expressed how we all feel, and she expressed how I feel," Close said at the Vanity Fair bash.